Welcome the Year of the Dragon with MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit and Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque.

January 23, 2012 | 44 Responses

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond

We’ve all heard about the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD foundation from beauty junkies all over the world. It has made a permanent home in many a girl’s foundation arsenal. Many makeup artists have it in their professional kit. Now I am here to tell you that, well, I believe in the hype. I adore this foundation.

I guessed my shade to be #128 Almond using MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Shade Finder, and I am glad to say that it is a great match. For reference, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona is also a good match for my skin at the moment.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond — Swatches

The MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit ($89) really does make a difference with the performance of this foundation. The HD primer smooths out fine lines and big pores to prep the skin. I like that it doesn’t have that heavy silicone-y feel of other primers I’ve tried in the past. The foundation itself has a beautiful skin-like, semi-matte finish. It does an amazing job covering up any redness and evening out my skin tone, allowing me to walk around with really good looking skin. It doesn’t cover up everything; I have dark bumps on my upper lip area that I have developed from waxing (!!!) and they are still visible in my after photo. To finish off the base, the powder creates an angelic soft-focus effect to the skin. What’s not to like, eh? By the way, I took a photo with flash and the white powder was nowhere to be seen.

Here’s a before and after shot. In the before I wore brow powder, mascara and lipstick (absolute necessities for this kind of thing). That’s it. I did not wear under-eye concealer in either photos, which to be honest, I am really regretting. Anywho.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond — Before and After (click to enlarge)

On its own, I like the foundation applied with a brush instead of my fingers. With the latter method, I find myself using more product. I do have one problem with the foundation though: who the heck came out with the numbering system? It is totally all over the place and definitely needs work. May I suggest breaking them up into undertones, i.e., pink #1, #2, #3, yellows, olives, and so on?

Oh yeah, for those who are celebrating, Happy Lunar New Year! Of course, I had to use the new year — the Year of the Dragon — as an excuse to pull out the amazing Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon ($42). In my opinion, it’s totally worth the kidney I sold to buy it. Why do I always get in some sort of trouble when I buy Chanel?

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon — Swatch

Wearing Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon

Along with a little kitten eye flick (YSL Shocking liquid liner) and a little blush (Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed), my Year of the Dragon look is complete! Oh, and the rumours are true: the size of my smile is directly proportional to how much I love a lipstick. Can you tell I love Dragon?

Have a great week, pretties!

P.S. If you fancy being a model, don’t forget to enter the MAKE UP FOR EVER open casting call.

Disclosure: Product was provided by manufacturer for editorial consideration only. For more information, see my Editorial and Advertising Policy.

Have You Heard? You Can Appear In A MAKE UP FOR EVER Ad Through Their Open Casting Call.

January 13, 2012 | 1 Response

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A little PSA from snowy Friday the 13th in Toronto. I have been testing out the new MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit ($89 at Sephora), and I want to share this exciting opportunity from MAKE UP FOR EVER. Are you ready? One US and one Canadian resident will be chosen and flown to New York City for a professional photo shoot to appear in an ad! Intrigued? Check out the details below on how to enter.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit

From MAKE UP FOR EVER:

The open casting call is on now until February 1, 2012. To enter, consumers are challenged to create a picture-perfect make up look and submit their photo through a dedicated microsite, www.hd.makeupforeverusa.com. All finalists’ photos will be featured in a photo album on the MAKEUPFOREVERUSA Facebook page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on February 9, 2012, and then flown to New York City for her professional photo shoot. The casting call is open to all women age 18 and over residing in the U.S. and Canada.

The winning model will star in an advertisement that highlights MAKE UP FOR EVER’S new HD Complexion Starter Kit ($89 Exclusive at SEPHORA), the ultimate tool box for perfecting your complexion that can uniquely be personalized to include each client’s ideal shade of HD Invisible Cover Foundation. The HD Complexion Starter Kit boasts four of MAKE UP FOR EVER’S most coveted products for achieving naturally flawless skin in three simple steps: Prep, Cover, Finish.

The kit includes HD Microperfecting Primer, HD Invisible Cover Foundation, HD Microfinish Powder and a Kabuki Brush, all of which were created to be used in front of unforgiving high definition video cameras and provide results so flawless that the need for retouching has been eliminated.

To help women find their perfect foundation match online, MAKE UP FOR EVER has also created an interactive Shade Finder tool that can be found at www.hd.makeupforeverusa.com/shadefinder. Available in 26 shades to match all skin tones, MAKE UP FOR EVER’S best-selling HD Invisible Cover Foundation provides oil-free, medium-to-full-coverage that creates a soft-focus effect to soften lines and blur imperfections.

So, who’s entering? The casting call has just opened to Canadian residents, so get on it fellow Canucks! Chances of winning are good!

Revamping Black Eyeliner: A Recreation of Giorgio Armani Runway Look.

March 23, 2011 | 16 Responses

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Giorgio Armani Fall 2011 Fashion Week / Source: style.com

Since I haven’t done a look in a while, I want to get away from the usual smoky eyes or bright lips, and venture into the world of fun eyeliner. My usual eyeliner regimen is pretty boring; I usually just wear black or brown, or maybe some glitter on top. Today, I’m recreating a look from Giorgio Armani’s Fall 2011 Fashion Week, featuring a double winged eyeliner.

Get the Look

For the eyes, start with a golden pink (MAC Expensive Pink) base all over the lid. Tone down the shimmer by adding a peach (MAC Arena) over the pink. Pat a matte beige (Urban Decay Naked) down the centre of the lid. Next, add depth to the crease with a matte warm brown (MAC Soft Brown) and blend out. Deepen the crease further with a darker matte brown (Urban Decay Buck). Highlight with a sheer pearly pink highlighter (Mary Kay Shade 1 Liquid Illuminator).

For the liner, line both lower and upper waterlines (Giorgio Armani La Femme Bleue Waterproof liner). Line the upper lash line with gel liner (MAC Blacktrack) and wing out horizontally on the outer corners. Draw a second line under your lower lash line starting in the centre, leaving a small gap between your lash lines and the liner. Wing it out parallel to the top line. Finish off with mascara (Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill).

For the cheeks, highlight the top of the cheekbones with a sheer pearly pink illuminator (Mary Kay Shade 1 Liquid Illuminator). Run it over the bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow and chin as well. The models don’t look like they are wearing any blush, so no blush for this look. Lightly contour the cheeks with a deep matte brown (MAKE UP FOR EVER #17 Espresso).

For the lips, line and fill in with a neutral lip liner (NYX Natural), then go over with a neutral lipstick (Vasanti Luxembourg).

Read on for more pictures!

Click here to see more pictures!