#Makeup Trends | Best Liquid #Highlighters for #Strobing or Highlighting!!

Whether you want to call it 'highlighting' or 'Strobing', the trend to add a beautiful luminous glow to your skin is definitely not going away! Giorgio Armani has been iconic in reviving and creating this beautiful glow, which have been featured on the models of many of his fashion shows over the years. As with most fashion trends, the makeup styles and looks eventually trickle down to the masses. Now even faster than before with Social Media.

If you are looking to create the JLO Glow, adding highlight or want to be an expert on strobing, be sure to add these beautiful products, the amazing Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheers!

ABOUT FLUID SHEER

Fluid sheer is a beautiful skin illuminating product that offers radiance and glow. The formula is light weight, and easy to work with. It's available in over 10 flattering shades and can be used in multiple ways, a true multi-tasker!

• Instantly adds glow and illuminates skin
• Sheer, lightweight texture and coverage
• Use it as an eye shadow base, blush or bronzer
• Wear alone for glowing skin or tan enhancement
• Mix into your favourite foundation to add glow and enhance tonality
• Popular shades: #2, #10 and #11

SHADE DESCRIPTIONS

#2 Fluid Sheer: A light golden beige sheen. Excellent for spot highlighting/strobing effects on the cheeks and T Zone.

#10 Fluid Sheer: A medium golden bronze glow. Excellent for darker skin tones or adding a golden glow by mixing into your foundation.

#11 Fluid Sheer: A warm peachy shimmer. Excellent paired with blush and applied onto the cheeks.

These products are worth experimenting with since they leave a beautiful finish on the skin and offer multiple ways of using them! I also like that they leave a true sheen and not a sparkle, so it looks and glows like healthy skin. Be sure to check these shades out on your next Makeup Shopping trip!

Beauty Tip | Changing your hair colour? Use these makeup tips to help your hair look amazing!

Photo Courtesy: Google Images/Rihanna

Have you ever noticed when you change your hair, all of sudden when you put your makeup or your fave lipstick, the makeup doesn't look the same, looks either too dramatic or makes you question your hair change?

A common trend, this time of year, is the seasonal summer to fall transition. It appears in fashion, clothes, makeup and hair. Typically, the hair will be the big change that occurs in terms of colour. Deeper hues and rich tones will take over versus the Summer hues of being sun kissed and golden.

This post, I wanted to share the best makeup tips and tones that you can use when you undertake a drastic hair change. Using these tips, will help your hair transtion pop and will help you see what will look best for which ever hair shade you choose! (Side Note: Other than Platinum blonde, personally I have worn my hair in many different hair tones, so I speak from personal experience that when you change hair and adjust your makeup, it helps you love your hair even more!).

Blondes (White or Platinum Tones)

• Eyes: Soft Greys + Dark Liner or Soft Browns
• Cheeks: Soft Pink/Coral Blush
• Lips: Cool Soft Pinks or Bold Red Lip
• Celebrity Inspiration:  Gwen Stefani

Photo Courtesy: Google Images/Gwen Stefani

Dark Blonde

• Eyes: Medium Earthy Brown to Nude Tones
• Cheeks: Bronze or Brick Toned Blush
• Lips: Darker Pinky Nudes
• Celebrity Inspiration: Jennifer Lopez

Photo Courtesy: Google Images/Jennifer Lopez

Brunette

• Eyes: Light Greys, Browns or Taupe
• Cheeks: Coral Pinky Blush
• Lips: Light Mauve or Coral toned lips
• Celebrity Inspiration: Kate Beckinsale

Photo Courtesy: Google Images/Kate Beckinsale

Red (Mahogany, Black and Beyond)

• Eyes: Bolder Cooler Shades on eyes. Darker Smudged Liner
• Cheeks: Cooler Blush mixed with a matte bronzer
• Lips: Blackcurrant, Deep Burgundy and Magenta Tones
• Celebrity Inspiration: Rihanna

Photo Courtesy: Google Images/Rihanna

Be sure to have fun and be daring! Once you change your hair, you will feel confident and these tips above can help you transition your hair and makeup to make the perfect statement!

#GoldenGlobes2015 | Top 5 Fashion Looks!

The Red Carpet is always about the GOWNS! For the 2015 Golden Globes, the beautiful women of Hollywood dressed to the nines. My favourite trend was the silvery toned gowns!

Here are my Top 5 Fashion Looks from the night!

Reese Witherspoon | Calvin Klein

Image courtesy: Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez | Zuhair Murad

Image Courtesy: EOnline.com

Kate Beckinsale | Elie Saab

Image Courtesy: EOnline.com

Kate Hudson | Versace

Image Courtesy: EOnline.com

Julianne Moore | Givency Couture

Image Courtesy: EOnline.com

It will be interesting to see these gowns being translated from Award Runway to the retail customer. Typically the most popular award show dresses that are trending are re-worked for Bridal Wear!

#GoldenGlobes2015 | Top 5 Beauty Looks!

Love, love, love awards season! For me, the reason I enjoy these shows is that I get the opportunity to see art, fashion and beauty collide! In addition, we get to see and experience amazing films and the people behind these great works of art.

From all of the lovely looks from the 2015 Golden Globes Red Carpet, I picked my Top 5 favourite looks in beauty and fashion. Everyone looked amazing, but I picked My Top 5 Beauty Looks!

1. Reese Witherspoon | Soft Glam

Image Courtesy: HollywoodLife.com

2. Amal Clooney | Bold Lips

Image Courtesy: Hollywoodlife.com

Jessica Chastain | Hollywood Golden Glam

Image Courtesy: Hollywoodlife.com

Jennifer Lopez | Smokey Glam

Image Courtesy: Hollywoodlife.com

Allison Williams | Movie Star Glam

Image Courtesy: HollywoodLife.com

Loved the glamorous yet soft focused looks for beauty! All of these looks are easy to replicate and can work for any upcoming special occasions or celebrations for 2015! 

New Collection | Giorgio Armani Eye Tints

Giorgio Armani has launched these absolutely STUNNING eye shadows called Eye Tints! The shade range is amazing and the product makes shadow application a breeze. It transforms from liquid to solid which makes eyeshadow application quick and easy.

Product Details:

• 12 Luminous Shades  
• Formula transforms from liquid to solid
• 16 hour wear
• Smudge-free & Crease-free wear
• Wear it as an eye shadow or eye liner

Shades:

• #1 Obsidian
• #2 Minuit
• #3 Jade
• #4 Emeraude
• #5 Onyx
• #6 Green Iron
• #7 Shadow
• #8 Flannel
• #9 Cold Copper
• #10 Senso
• #11 Rose Ashes
• #12 Gold Ashes

I decided to have some fun with these products and created a dramatic look for both eyes as well as lips! Dark hued Ombre lips are very popular and can be seen in fashion and worn by many makeup lovers on Instagram. Here is my take:

Products Used

Eyes

Eye Tint in Minuit and Jade

Eyes to Kill Mascara

Maestro Liner

Lips

Eye Tint in Minuit and Jade for the accent Ombre effect

Giorgio Armani Eye Pencil in Black

Nars Navy Lip Pencil

You can pretty much create any look you desire with these gorgeous products! I love that the Eye Tints are so versatile because it allows for soft to intense makeup looks! The Eye Tints are available at Holt Renfrew Sherway and are a must for makeup lovers!

Beauty Look | #FOTD/#MOTD - Green Eye Makeup with Pink Lips :)

Green shadow looks are making it everywhere on the #NYFW (New York Fashion Week) runways. I wanted to try out this fun shade by using products I already had on hand. You can always buy new makeup for new trends but if you are a bonafide makeup junkie (aka Makeup addict) like me, than you will always have the products that you need in your makeup bag or drawer :)

This is a perfect FALL makeup look. Here is my look de-constructed below:

EYES
Primer: Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #10
Lower Lash line/Waterline: Annabelle Black & Blue Eye Pencil
Base: Vasanti Kajal Extreme Eye Pencil in Black on 2/3 of the Eye and Crease
Transition: Giorgio Armani Bronzer #400 into the crease
Lids: Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill (Fall Collection 2013) #32 Gold Hercule (Mixed with Fluid Sheer #10)
Crease: Coastal Scents Ultra Shimmer 88 Palette  - Rich Emerald
Mascara: Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara

BROWS
Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro in #02
Giorgio Armani Brow Pencil in #03
YSL Touche Eclat to Highlight Underneath and on top

FACE
Foundation: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Liquid Foundation #7
Highlight: Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #10
Cheeks: Giorgio Armani Bronzer #400

LIPS
Beautique Liner in Wine
Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Sheers Lipstick (Summer 2014 Collection) #603 Plum

I love this look and will be wearing it a lot for the Fall months! Try this look out and share your comments below! If you wanted to neutralize this look, use a brown shade for the crease to blend. :)

New Collection: Christian Louboutin launches Nail Collection

Photo taken at: Holt Renfrew Sherway Gardens

Christian Louboutin is a name that almost everyone recognizes in shoes! "Loubous", as the stilettos are often referred to, have one of the most defining elements - the famous #RedBottom. The iconic look started when the bottom part of the shoes were painted Red and they haven't looked back...until now! 

Photo taken at: Holt Renfrew Sherway Gardens

Louboutin has recently launched a signature collection of Nail Polishes. They have begun the launch with the iconic Red. The bottle is inspired by the signature stiletto, the Ballerina Ultima. The long and spiky lid resembles the tall heel.

Photo taken at: Holt Renfrew Sherway Gardens

Such a unique thing to see when Fashion and Beauty come full circle. The creation of the red heel started with a used bottle of Nail polish as one of the most memorable trends for shoes and the brand.

Fun, Quirky & Time-Saving DIY Tips :)

I love that I have been able to turn to the Internet, specifically YouTube, many times when I have been stuck with something I can't fix or wanted to learn how to do myself.  The Internet is a great resource for such topics, but it can also be a challenge to find the answer if you don't even know what you are looking for.

I surf the Internet pretty much daily, mostly about makeup, beauty or fashion, but I also use it to learn and find some useful information.

Listed below are a few tips and things I have found that I wanted to share that have saved me time and have also saved me from NOT wasting additional energy, rage, anger and most of all my sanity! ;)

1. Ipod has frozen while charging

This has happened to me more often than I care to admit. Each time this has happened I will panic, get stressed out and then remember, "Oh yeah, I fixed this with that YouTube clip". So here is the clip that I found that has helped me with my Ipod Nano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JEgr1Xfj4s

2. How to create an instant snack bowl

Sometimes when you have people over, and it is a more casual setting, or even if you are alone this neat folding technique is awesome!  This makes any snack bag into a bowl for you, in less than a minute, check it out: http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/04/create-an-instant-snack-bowl-from-any-snack-bag/

3. Protect your shoes when travelling

This one might sound odd, but it is a great tip to protect your shoes and your clothes when travelling. I came across this tip here: http://www.realsimple.com/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-travel/shower-cap-00000000014397/index.html

4. Easy way to clean your closet

Turn your closet hangers the opposite direction.  As you wear each item, turn the hanger the correct side.  By the end of the week, you will notice which items you are wearing and which items are just staying untouched.  By the end of a few weeks, you will know exactly what to purge from your closet to help keep it clear and organized. Whatever is not being worn, you can donate :)

5. Cork Board Jewellery Organizer

My challenge has always been on how to keep all my necklaces from tangling into one another. Keeping them in a drawer or a jewellery box does not work! Also, I want to be able to find the item quickly.  The cork board has definitely helped me out and makes it much more fun to get ready in the morning.  I can't recall where I originally saw the inspiration for this, but I did my own post version: http://www.makeupbysand.blogspot.ca/2011/12/mini-haul-of-week-diy-jewellery.html 

Hope these tips and tricks work for you! I will be doing this post again covering time saving tips for attending a party and amazing beauty tips and tricks, all that help save time and money, stay tuned!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

My childhood dream realized - Coach Barbie!!!

For those who know me, the ones who know me really well, know that I love Barbie. I had only one and I enjoyed her sense of fashion, her makeup look and of course her accessories!

It was extremely exciting to hear that my beloved Barbie was getting her own Coach bag! The COACH  brand gave BARBIE a high-fashion makeover, and indeed they did!

COACH teamed up with Mattel to launch this collector's edition version of the famous doll. This Barbie sports the following miniature accessories that any Coach loving fan would want to covet: 

Photo courtesy:  http://www.vogue.co.uk/

• a miniature classic checked Tattersall trench coat
• Sandals, Sunglasses, Striped top with a Suede skirt - these were all featured on the brand's actual Spring/Summer 2013 collection
• The Coach Duffle bag - made with genuine leather has been created in the same factories and with the same materials as Coach's life-sized consumer handbags. 

Only a limited number of this doll were made, and it has already sold out, but for those who are not able to get this doll, enjoy these amazing pictures of the Coach Barbie (courtesy of Vogue UK/Coach):

Photos courtesy: http://www.vogue.co.uk

Photo courtesy:  http://www.vogue.co.uk

This news and these images definitely put a smile on my face!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Sunday Smiles :) - It's all about COLOUR!!

I am so excited that Summer is here and we finally get to see colourful things in nature, in fashion and of course makeup.  I painted a colour wheel many years ago for a school art project.  What was really neat about this wheel is that you could easily understand which colours looked great together and which ones were complementary to one another as well.

Today I wanted to post fun photos that were inspired from the Colour wheel.  Check them out below:

Shade - RED | OPI Nail Colour - "Colour So Hot it Berns" :)

Shade:  Turquoise | Indian Outfit + Scarf

Shade:  Yellow | Indian Outfit + Summer Dress

Shade:  Teal Blue |  Makeup Bag + Floral Print Dress

Find your colour inspiration from this wheel, whether it be your nails, fashion or makeup :)

Always Smile :)  - Sand

TV Fashion/Makeup Icons

There have been many great TV shows that have influenced my ideas on hair,clothes and Makeup. Music videos have inspired me as well, but that will be a post for another day ;) 

My Top shows that inspired me were as follows:

1. Sex & The City

2. Friends

3. Ugly Betty

4. Beverley Hills 90210

5. Who's the Boss?

Today I have compiled together a few of my favourite photos from Sex & The City, specifically "Carrie Bradshaw", that inspired either a fashion trend or inspired my Makeup choices.  Enjoy!

Sex & The City - Carrie Bradshaw:

I loved her evolution over the years in fashion and Makeup.  Here are my faves over the years.

I absolutely loved when Carrie changed her hair colour in the first movie instalment of S.A.T.C.  I remember being in the theatre, watching the scene with Carrie at the Salon, and her hair is complete and she does her flip upward and reveals her new hair, literally everyone in the audience went, "Wowwwww".She looked great in the Fashion scene of the movie with her looking marvellous!  (I still have not managed to figure out how to replicate, but I am getting close! :)

The following picture is a favourite of mine due to her amazingly soft shiny curls.  Once I saw this, I know I had to figure out a way to do this at home since this look is so beautiful.

When Charlotte gets married, her first wedding, it is one of my favourite episodes.  For the fashion, the storyline and of course Carrie's AMAZING, gravity defying bun!  In my opinion, this is the first time we saw, what we now call, the infamous "Sock" bun.  It looked amazing on her :)

Last but not least, the wedding Makeup from the S.A.T.C. movie. I loved how her skin glowed, the classic lined eye, the soft brown shadow, rosy hue on the cheeks and the lips painted that amazing Red!

More inspired posts to come.  

Always Smile :)  - Sand