Thanks for the Good Times, 2010: Our Best Posts of the Year.

December 30, 2010 | 9 Responses

2010 was a fantastic year for me and Glitter Geek. Our readership has grown so much, which I can only attribute to the huge support of Beauty Blog Link Love, the Toronto Beauty Bloggers, and of course, our fantastic and loyal readers. Your support keeps me testing, writing, swatching, and taking countless photos for the blog. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my sparkly heart!

Whether you’re a new reader or an old friend, you are definitely in for a treat! In this post, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite posts (and yours, based on your comments) from the past year.

This Year, I Grew as an Artist.

I am not calling myself a makeup artist, but this year I improved a lot artistically. I finally conquered my fear of bold lips, and experimented with different techniques and eyeshadow placements. I’m not stopping now, so watch out 2011!

Planning to cast out the wimpy Arianne of 2009, I greeted the year with bold red lips.
I might be a fan of bold lips now, but there’s still something about a blue smoky eye that makes my heart aflutter.
I adore Gwen Stefani’s signature look, and I’m so glad this inspired look with fuchsia lips and thick liner was not a complete and utter failure.
This blog wouldn’t be called Glitter Geek if I didn’t feature any glitter. This glittery gold / green smoky eye was both fun and dramatic for a summer night.
I never shy away from coloured eyeshadow. This MAC alice + olivia collection inspired look was probably my most successful colour experiment of the year.
This pin-up look a la Dita Von Teese was the biggest challenge makeup-wise that I undertook. Yep, I conquered it.
Who doesn’t like the sophisticated makeup of the ladies in Mad Men? I attempted the look complete with two different lip options for those who cannot decide on just one.
I heart Harry Potter movies, so yes naturally, I will paint my face with colours from the House of Gryffindor.

This Year, I Discovered Great Low and High End Products.

Canadian drugstores welcomed the Revlon Colorburst lipsticks this year, and they are a huge hit! My personal favourite is Revlon Colorburst in Soft Rose.
A year round staple, Annabelle Haute Gold Bronzer is still my #1 bronzer. Seriously, this is holy grail material people!
If there’s only one reason why Target should expand to Canada now, then it should be Sonia Kashuk. Her blending sponge is the easiest foundation tool to use, ever.
Oh, and how could I forget my new Chanel addiction. It all started with Rouge Allure Laque in Phoenix, then it all went downhill from there. Since then I have also been loving Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Temptation, Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Fatale, and my holy grail nude pink lipstick Rouge Allure Laque in Ming.
Ladies with oily skin: rejoice! This year I found a great mattifying primer in Cover FX Clear Prep FX.
This year was definitely the year of the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I managed to get my sticky hands on one on my short trip to San Francisco!
I said goodbye to my old standby, theBalm timeBalm to make way for my new #1 concealer, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.
I’ve been phasing in all-natural skincare to my routine, and it’s really been easy due to the fact that Pure + Simple has excellent products that I trust completely.
My adoration for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars is not a secret. Holy pigmentation Batman!
I’m not ashamed to say that I wrote a love letter to MAC Brun eyeshadow.
MAC Neon Orange is the boldest lipstick I have ever worn, and it’s a hit!

This Year, I Had Fun.

What’s funner than swatches in the form of a rainbow? This was a big hit with Glitter Geek readers, and always makes me smile whenever I look back at the photos.
Let 2011 be the year when we stop complaining about our appearances. We discussed what we liked about ourselves, and it felt goooood.
I can’t believe Scherbie is already all grown up. I became a kitteh momma this year to this stinky skinny monkeyface.
I hit up IMATS Toronto again this year, and of course, it’s always a hoot when you go with a bunch of beauty bloggers.
MAC Master Classes are usually available only to PRO members, but I had the chance to drop in on the Spring Trends class this year (thanks MAC!) and showed you what you should expect when Spring rolls around in 2011.

What Were Your Beauty Highlights of 2010?

If You Don’t Know, Now You Know: You Need Good Brushes for Good Eye Makeup.

October 7, 2010 | 8 Responses

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When I first got into makeup, I’d heard many times that tools make all the difference. At first I didn’t believe them. As a makeup novice, I didn’t know squat about colour placement or the basics of blending, so how could I possibly go from amateur to pro by using makeup brushes?

It turns out that even up to this day, even though I consider myself pretty good at applying my own makeup, I need a good set of makeup brushes to create polished look, and easily too!

Case in point: I don’t have a single eye makeup brush in my boyfriend’s place. I have resorted to using Q-tips and my fingers only, and all of a sudden I am back in twelfth grade, practising my prom look (turquoise and blue eyeshadow, no less!). Oh the horror!

So, whether you are just starting to get into makeup (warning: you will be addicted! ) or are looking for solid new additions to your makeup brush collection, here are my absolute essentials. That means that 99.99% of the time, these are the only brushes I will use for my eye makeup. They are that good, I promise!

Fluffy Shader Brush

This is great for patting on colour all over the lid or brow highlight. Because it is a fluffy brush and not a stiff flat shader brush, you can apply and blend colour at the same time. Who doesn’t like a multi-tasking product? Oh, and who doesn’t like the word ‘fluff’? Fluff is so fun to say!

Recommendations: Crown C209 Chisel Pointed Fluff Brush ($2-3 at IMATS), Quo All Over Shadow Brush (Canada only, I think $7 at Shoppers Drugmart), MAC 213 Fluff Brush ($27).

Angled Liner / Brow Brush

Another good multi-tasking brush is the angled liner / brow brush. Look for something that is firm and very tightly packed so you can vary the thickness of your lines easily.

Recommendations: Crown PP11 Taklon Angle Liner Brush ($2-$3 in IMATS), MAC 266 Small Angle Brush ($23.50).

Smudging Brush

My favourite kind of smudging brush is wide with short firm bristles. They are great for smoking out a creamy pencil, or smudging a dark colour along the lash lines for a smoky eye.

Recommendations: Quo Eye Smudger Brush (Canada only, I think $7 at Shoppers Drugmart), MAC 214 Short Shader Brush ($29.50).

Fluffy Blending Brush

If you have to have just one brush, let this be it. A fluffy blending brush is essential for flawlessly blending out your eyeshadows. Look for one that is not flimsy, you want the brush to be firm but soft against your skin. The MAC 217 is my holy grail! It also works great for buffing in a cream concealer.

Recommendations: Sephora Collection Professionnel Blending Eye Brush #29 ($20, a MAC 217 dupe according to Donna Marie), MAC 217 Blending Brush ($27).

Tapered Crease Brush

This one is essential for smaller eyes for precise eyeshadow placement. It also takes a little bit of time to get used to, but you can either use the pointed tip for sharper definition, or apply on its side to blend out your crease colour. It’s not going to blend as much as a fluffy blending brush because it’s meant to add definition. Look for some firmness in the brush. If it is flimsy, it is a no go! LOL.

Recommendations: MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending Brush ($29, not part of the permanent collection but hopefully they will bring it back soon!).

What Are Your Must-have Eye Makeup Brushes?

See anything I mentioned here? Any others you would add to the list?

My 2009 Resolutions.

January 5, 2009 | Leave a response

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I love lists, and the New Year always brings forth a lot of list making! So, this year I resolve to:

Take better care for my skin. To always wear sunscreen outside, to wash my face every night (or at least use face wipes), and to moisturize always.
Not buy more unnecessary makeup. This means that there aren’t gonna be many product reviews.
Not colour my hair out of its natural colour until it’s reached my desired length. Not colouring it means I can get there without my hair getting crunchy and gross.
Have a system to budget my money. My boyfriend and I are planning to go to Costa Rica! this summer as our graduation getaway, and I have to set aside money for that trip.
Be more active. I’ve slipped from my routine since I went back to school, and I really want to get back in shape again. If I don’t have time to hit the gym, I have an exercise ball and a DVD to follow. Also, lots of snowboarding until all the snow has melted away.
Have more patience. With myself, and other people.
Be less afraid. To often ask for what I want to get in my life, and not avoid confrontations & conflict.