***I was able to get the full description of products Paul Venoit used to create these looks and you can download them at the end of this post***

The holidays are synonymous with glammed-up make-up. Just in time for office parties, family events and ringing in the New Year, CoverGirl celebrity make-up artist Paul Venoit (who also happens to be co-host of the show “Look Alike”) has created a few exclusive looks for Holiday 2008!

Whether you prefer a more dramatic or more subtle look for the holidays, Paul’s masterful makeup creations will get heads turning. Don’t be surprised if women who you don’t even know you follow you to the bathroom to ask you what make-up you are wearing!

As a beauty editor I have a makeup drawer that is colossal. In fact, my former makeup drawer is now a makeup cabinet. I have it all: mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, lip gloss, blush and foundation (in multiples).

I have high-end brands and brands you can buy at your local drugstore. Although I get to play with more makeup than the average person, I never (NEVER) get tired of discovering and trying new brands. I also never (EVER) get tired of featuring and highlighting Canadian brands.

In a sea of American and European brands, I’m always quite partial to home-grown brands.

MAC Cosmetics is the reigning champion when it comes to instant brand recognition because of its international brand reach. But as we all know, this über-mega-giant cosmetic brand started right here in Canada and I’m always so proud to remind Americans and Europeans of that fact.

In the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of discovering a number of Canadian brands that are making their presence known in Canada and internationally.

Spending time with Senior Artist Jane McKay from MAC cosmetics is like sitting down with an encyclopedia of makeup.

Her knowledge is so vast that I could barely keep up writing all tips she was sharing with me.

I hope you read part one of this incredible feature and here’s part two!

5) What about ethnic beauties? How can Asian women, Latinas and darker skin beauties work with makeup trends as they age?

* It’s very important that you choose a concealer and a foundation that will help achieve an even look. Ethnic beauties usually have a hard time at it with dark spots on their face and it makes such a huge difference when you even out the skin.

* Ethnic beauties MUST invest in the right foundation and the right texture for their skin.

* Ethnic beauties usually have a yellow undertone and using pink will seriously brighten and open the face.

I’ve been wearing MAC Cosmetics for a long time now. I mix some MAC colours with my other makeup items and I cannot remember when was the last time my makeup bag didn’t include at least three to four MAC products.

Lately, I’ve been wondering if MAC Cosmetics was a line that was still appropriate for women over 35. When you look at a cosmetic line like Bobbi Brown where all the colours are greyed down it’s easier to see how women of a certain age would gravitate towards that line.

MAC Cosmetics has much brighter and bolder colours and I wanted to understand how women needed to approach the line as they age.

I met with Senior Artist Jane McKay for a little MAC education.

During my meeting with her, I had some precise questions and she in return had very precise answers. She also managed to give me a 15-minute face that completely hid all of my hyperpigmentation spots (you’ll see the photo at the end of part 2).

Senior Artist Jane McKay from MAC Cosmetics makeup and beauty tips:

I’ve been begging spring to arrive since November because this has been such a long winter. As I’m writing these words, we’re in the middle of yet another winter storm, but my calendar assures me that spring is really around the corner, but by the time you read these words, spring will have officially arrived.

Nothing spells out S-P-R-I-N-G like new make-up! The cosmetic companies have put out very flirty and very colourful shades for their spring 2008 collections and I’ve spotted a few lines us girls over 35 might want to take note of.