Are you ready for some drama? Yves Saint Laurent wants you to venture into their fabulous and bold new look for the holidays.

Forget the safe natural rosy-cheeked look, try for some drama during your holiday activities or if you plan on going out.

So what do you need to get this look? There is quite the list.

* Teint Resist Long Wear Transfer Resistant Foundation ($55 USD/ $62.86 CAD) for your face

* Touche Éclat Radiant Touch ($40 USD/ $45.72 CAD) – they suggest using their Luminous Radiance shade – this will highlight areas around your eye, hollow of chin and the contours of your lips and nose

* Mini Touche Blush ($28 USD/limited edition. It’s already out of stock on Sephora’s page at the moment)  – to get their look try the Sparkling Beige colour, which is a light bubblegum pink with a bit of shimmer

* Dessin du Regard Haute Tenue Eye Pencil ($28 USD/ $32 CAD) in Intense Black

* Ombred Duolumieres Eyeshadow Duo ($41 USD/ $46.86 CAD) in Heavenly Beige – Astral Brown

* Volume Effet Faux Cils Luxurious Mascara ($28.50 USD/ $32. 57 CAD) in High Density Black

* Fard a Levres Rouge Pur Lipstick ($30 USD/ $34.29 CAD) in Sublime Red.

It’s all about taking those items and creating a look that stands out in a crowd. It’s also about adding some bright bold colours to your winter plans, with the help of YSL’s products.

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By our Editorial Assistant Colleen

The holiday season is fast approaching which means some new make-up looks are out for you to test.

CoverGirl’s Creative Design Director, Pat McGrath, has these three holiday make-up looks that you could try at your office parties or your family functions.

CoverGirl Holiday 2009 make-up look #1:

Let’s start with my personal favourite, The Red Lip. I think this look will get you noticed but also give you a hint of mystery too.

There’s just something about pulling off red lips that will add that extra something you want for winter functions.

CoverGirl recommends:

* Start with some TRUblend Liquid Foundation so that your face will have a matte finish to it

* Add just a bit of TRUblend MicroMinerals Blush to give you a hint of rose to your cheeks

* You gotta do up your eyes with some CoverGirl Eyelights Collection products

* A smudged line with CoverGirl Eyelights Eye Brightening Eyeliner close to the lash line

* To finish up your eyes, use some CoverGirl Exact EyeLights mascara to create fully made-up eyes

* Last step, lips! Get some of CoverGirl’s Outlast Lipstain and brush it onto your lips. (CoverGirl suggests using the Wild Berry Wink) You can add some Continuous Color Lipstick in their Classic Red shade. Word of caution though, don’t rub on your lips, just press them together. Finish your lips off with some CoverGirl WetSlicks AmazeMint in Red Riot to draw all attention to your lips

CoverGirl Holiday 20

09 make-up look #2 & #3:

The other two looks are Blushed Radiance and Classic Wing. With Blushed Radiance, the product that really helps you achieve the look is CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush.

There are four different shades to try out to get the healthy look. Other products that will complete the look are using the Exact Eyelights Mascara and Wetslicks AmazeMint to add a touch of makeup but nothing overwhelming and some foundation to even out your skin tone.

The Classic Wing look is going for a classic and elegant look that you might want to bring to any fancy or elegant parties over the holidays you might have. To achieve this look you have to have bushy arched brows.

To do this, CoverGirl suggests you use their Brow and EyeMakers pencil to brush the hairs up and out to make a full and arched bow.

Then you’re supposed to use some warm-toned eye shadows from their Eye Enhancers 4-kit Eye Shadow collection and their Line Exact EyeLiner to do up the eye )make sure not to smudge!).

To finish off the look just add some CoverGirl LashBlast Luxe mascara, a hint of blush and a bit of gloss to the lips.

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I think one of the best parts of the holiday season is being able to dress up for all those parties.

Think about it, you get to wear pretty clothing, beautiful shoes and incredible accessories that sparkle. This time of the year is also a great time to really be a bit bolder and more daring with your make-up.

When it comes to knowing the latest holiday 2009 make-up trends, Norman Sands is the master!

He’s going to reveal the top 3 holiday 2009 make-up trends and he’ll also include some great insider’s beauty tips to help you achieve the look at home!

>>>Who is Norman Sands?

NARS celebrity stylist Norman Sands is no stranger to makeup trends and runway beauty. Having worked behind the scenes at Fashion week, and also having adorned the faces of Leighton Meester, Cyndi Lauper, Elaine Irwin, Chanel Iman and E!s Cat Sadler, Sands knows a thing or two about keeping women glamorous with the latest and greatest that beauty has to offer.

How often do you have a chance to get makeup tips from a Celebrity makeup artist and someone with Norman’s bio? So I do hope you’ll soak up Norman Sands knowledge as much as I do and I hope your holiday make-up will be fabulous!

>>> Here are holiday 2009 top 3 make-up trends!

1. The Immaculate Complexion

Flawless faces that look picture perfect.

The right foundation is key.  This season it’s all about being camera ready for any occasion.  “Three-Dimensional skin with light diffusion is a women’s best friend and secret.”

The new Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow foundation is perfect because it is light, natural and buildable coverage.

People ask which foundation is right for them, my answer:  What finish are you looking for? How do you like your skin to look? There is no right or wrong answer.

For a smoldering eye opt for a glowing complexion, for a more bold lip- try a matte finish.

Make-up artist tip:  Loose powder is a makeup artist best friend.  It’s the perfect way to set foundation.  Apply with a powder puff with a “rock and roll” application and buff with your favorite powder brush to give the skin an air-brushed finish.

2. Red Carpet Lips

Nothing creates a personal red carpet moment like the classic red lip.  This timeless trend adds drama and commands attention.  Shows like Mad Men have created a renewed attention to the vintage red pout.  Lana Horochowski, Department Head of Makeup for Mad Men loves using the NARS Velvet Matte Pencils.  On Christine Hendricks’ character Joan Holloway she uses Dolce Vita, Red Square and Forbidden Red.

Red in every shade is perfect for the holidays.  Anything from candy-apple, crimson, fuchsia, coral to brick, merlot and wine shades.

Make-up artist tip: Red lips are perfected with a lip toned or brownish lip liner pencil.  Try Amazon, Salsa or Borneo by NARS to give the lips depth and definition.  Remember, no harsh lines- so blend and feather your liner!

3. Luxe Lined Eyes

Liner is bigger than ever this season.  Everything from shadow smudged at the lash line to pencil in the inner rim to a classic swipe of liquid liner.  Liner is so big and can complete any eye look.

Make-up artist tip: Use an unexpected pop of color to line the eyes.  It draws the attention to the color of the eye.  Try:  Manon pencil liner (a true violet) topped with Blue Bayou Eyeliner Stylo (a true rich teal)… or line the inner rim of the eye with a bright navy or teal, classic black is always a tried and true.

All three of these trends actually work well together.  It’s about creating balance and playing up your best feature.  Whatever you do, holiday makeup is all about celebration and fun.

>>>> Here’s a great video  make-up lesson by a NARS make-up artist: NARS alluring eyes

Photos provided by NARS Cosmetics

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This fall you’ll notice the colour are more intense for fall 2009 makeup trends. I’ve noticed that many of the cosmetic lines are showing darker eyes and red lips. In some cases, we’ve seen the dramatic lips and the dramatic eyes paired together and in other cases models have been sporting dramatic eyes with nude lips and nude cheeks.

As usual, I’ve created a trend sheet so that you can have all the major make-up brands and the make-up trends in one easy and convenient spot!

I think for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, you’re going to have to play it by ear and I’d recommend you consults a makeup artist because dark lips and dark eyes might not look flattering. You might have to bring down the intensity on the eyes and play it off a medium dark lip.

I think a classic look that is always a winner for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s is the simple black eye liner, dark mascara and red lips. There are soooooooo many shades of red lipstick to chose from AND you can also opt for a sheer red lips stick that will give you the stain without the intensity.

1) Cover Girl Fall 2009 makeup trends: Pat McGrath has done it again! I’d say the most influential trend from Pat would have to be the dark dramatic eyes. It’s all very sexy! You know that with Cover Girl, you’ll be able to achieve the look without breaking the bank!

>>> You can download the Cover Girl Fall 2009 makeup book here!

2) NARS Cosmetics fall 2009 makeup collection: Lolita Collection:

I can tell you that when I saw the Mekong Eyeshadow, I gasped. This is such a rich chocolate brown that will honestly look divine this fall. It’s a rich espresso that will be great with purple shades! Obviously, there is much more goodness from NARS in this collection. I also loved the Silk Road duo eyeshadow and the Brumes Duo eyeshadow. The Tokaido Express nail polish in an opulent blackened amethyst is divine! Simply put, I love the new fall 2009 collection from NARS!

3) Lancôme launches a new collection in collaboration with Aaron de Mey for the fall 2009 makeup collection

I adored my spring 2009 collection from Aaron de Mey and I can assure you that I’m not one bit disappointed by the fall collection. Fall is all about indigo and gold at Lancôme. In fact, they’ve translated that all the way to the nail polishes – they have one gold nail polish and an indigo blue nail polish! Lancome and Aaron de Mey picked Canadian model Daria Werbowy as the face of the new collection. This collection will surely suit women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s because you can wear a much less dramatic and intense look and still look incredible in Lancôme’s and Aaron de Mey’s “Declaring Indigo” collection!

Here’s a great backstage peak at Chris Benz applying Lancôme’s and Aaron de Mey’s “Declaring Indigo” collection on a model:

4) Christian Dior Jazzclub Fall 2009 makeup collection

The must-have of this entire Christian Dior collection is the compact eye shadow palette shaped like a chic handbag! This is not only the perfect everyday palette, but the perfect little kit for any business or leisure travel. Inside the bag are cream liner, brow powder, matte eye shadows, duo eye shadows in pearl and shimmering eye shadows. The bag also comes with two-tipped applicators: an eye shadow brush and a smudge sponge brush. Dior is pairing dark eyes with dark lips.

5) Givenchy Lip Gloss fall 2009 makeup collection

As a lipgloss junkie, I can tell you that I respect Givency for having the foresight to put out 15 new shades of lip glosses for the new season! Liv Taylor is the new face for the launch of Gloss Interdit line of 15 shades! If you love lipgloss as much as I do this collection will be like Nirvana for you!

6) Chanel Les Noirs Collection fall 2009 makeup

I could go on in details about how incredible the new Chanel collection is, but why not see it for yourself with these amazing promotional shots:

7) Dolce & Gabbana Romantic Collection’s Pinks fall 2009 makeup collection

This super feminine makeup collection by Dolce & Gabbana will turn heads! The Dolce & Gabbana Romantic Collection’s Pinks is comprised of the 13-piece collection for eyes, lips and cheeks. The colours range from subdued to bright and share the spotlight with a mix of other bright shades. Regardless of your mood, you’ll find a colour that you like in this collection!

#8) Bobbi Brown Ivy League fall 2009 makeup collection: I quite like Bobbi Brown’s eye gels because they have staying power. For fall 2009, Bobbi Brown is introducing a new shade to her collection – forest green! Bobbi Brown’s new Forest Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel eyeliner is perfect for the fall season and it will look stunning on hazel coloured eyes.

>>> Bobbi Brown Nudes Collection fall 2009 makeup collection: Along with a gorgeous new shade of eyeliner, Bobbi Brown is also introducing a new collection of nude shades for fall 2009. I think the collection will look incredible on fairer complexions, but I fear that darker skin beauties will need to look to other fall 2009 makeup collections that offer a bit more colour vibrancy. That said, Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick is always a great makeup item to have and if the shade of the Nude Shimmer Brick suit you, I’d highly recommend it!

9) YSL Yves Saint Laurent Beauty fall 2009 makeup collection

Yves Saint Laurent makeup has always been for me the ultimate luxury! I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know there is a recession and that most readers have surely cut back on their makeup purchases, but if you want to spoil yourself with one piece of luxury in your makeup case … YSL Beauty always does it for me!

The fall 2009 makeup collection is bold, assertive and feminine.

I have to say that the blue-grey nail polish is quite original. I’m not sure I’d actually go for it, but I’m sure it will be massively popular.

Take a look at these photos and tell me this collection is not amazing!

Photo by dreamglow

Feature by Celebrity make-up artist and NARS Cosmetics trainer Norman Sands

What is your take on office-appropriate make-up? What does that mean exactly?

Office make-up is about being polished, professional and fresh!

Think about make-up the same way you do about clothing.  At NARS we call this “Wardrobing”.  With make-up you have basics, modern classics and accessories.

In your opinion, what should be a woman’s basic face at the office?

For most women it’s about effective products and time saving applications.  In the morning you want to keep it simple and easy.

>>> Where to start with your office make-up:

1. Start with a bit of foundation, concealer (as needed) and set with a light powder to even out the skin tone.  Powder foundation is a great alternative for summer and can be used for touch ups.

2. Next add a little warmth with bronzer on the cheeks.  This does wonders, especially when you feel tired or need to look refreshed.  Remember to pay attention to the eyebrows, as they frame the face…. A bit of mascara and something on the lips — and you’re out the door in minutes.

Here are some colours from NARS Cosmetics you might want to try for your office look:

* NARS Powder Foundation PA

* Duo Concealer, Multiple Bronzer

* Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

>>> What kind of make-up should you apply for a job interview?

The most important thing is that you want them to remember you, NOT your make-up.  A little glow on the cheeks or gloss on the lips can be a nice touch.  You want to be perceived as confident and polished.

François Nars, creative director and founder of NARS Cosmetics, says that …

“Great skin is the first step in looking beautiful”

… so it is important to remember to take care of your skin as well.

>>> What are some good colors or color palettes for a job interview?

As a rule, warm shades look the most natural.  Think gold, bronze, taupe, copper, chocolate tones for the eyes. These shades can always be complemented with shades like plum and gray.

As for lip colour, it depends on your confidence level and the environment you work in.  Pinks, peaches, rose and corals are acceptable on the lips.  Depending on your work environment and comfort level red lip colour can be appropriate.

NARS Gipsy Lipstick is a sheer red that is appropriate for the office and boardroom.

>>> When it comes to office make-up, what should a woman avoid?

Like your wardrobe, don’t wear evening or club wear to the office.  Save the glitter, sparkle and false lashes for night.  Chances are if you think it is too much for the office, it probably is.

I would avoid garish colors and dramatic colors.  It’s a good idea to save those for evening.

What about if your office is more laid back or if you have a more creative job? What sorts of liberties can you then take with your make-up?

If it’s fitting for the clothing you wear, you should be okay.  A little glow on the cheeks always looks nice and youthful.  Gloss is appropriate for all occasions.  Be sure to dab a small amount on the bottom lip and blot lips together.

>>> Red lips are always in fashion!

The timeless red lip has even made its way to the corporate world.  There is something very empowering about red lipstick, just as men have “power ties”.  Television shows like “Mad Men” and HBO’s “Grey Gardens” has introduced the vintage red and coral lip to a whole new generation.

Remember the make-up rule of creating balance.  If the focus is going to be on a bold lip then the rest of the face should be in balance.  As a rule, choose one feature and go light on the rest.  Black mascara complements bold red lips well.

Here are some colours from NARS Cosmetics you might want to try to achieve the perfect red pout:

* Jungle Red Lipstick

* Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

* Outsider Lipstick

* Niagara Lipstick

Here’s a photo of Norman Sands below!

All photos provided by NARS Cosmetics

Feature by Editorial Assistant Colleen Tang

Fall is just around the corner and you know what that means: new make-up colours for the new fall 2009 season!

MAC Cosmetics has a whole new collection for this upcoming period and what really makes this collection spark is the collaboration with three artists, painter Richard Phillips, illustrator Maira Kalman and photographer Marilyn Minter.

With the help with these three artists, they have changed the way MAC make-up looks and means.

1) For Richard Phillips, he has taken one of his own paintings and gave it a MAC make-up makeover. The vibrant colours from the MAC palette jump out in his work of art and highlights the possibilities of MAC makeup. The lip colour really speaks to me and I think many of you will look twice at the ruby redness of this woman’s lips.

Some other interesting lipstick ($14 USD/$16.50 CAD) colours are:

* Front Lit – a nice nude shade

* High Strung – a dark pink and silvery shade

* Lovin’ It – and loving it I am, this is a nice rouge tint shade

* Hold the Pose – a dramatic dark brown purple hue sure to draw someone’s attention and maybe add a little mystery

* Full-Body – another bold option, but with a plum shade

But I’m sure you’re more curious about what lipglass shades ($14 USD/$16.50 CAD) are in store for the upcoming season. They all have this great frosty hint to it too.

Here some great shades:

* Young Thing – a yellow neutral color with a hint of gold mixed in

* Personal Taste – a mix of red and pink with some gold swirled in

* New Spirit – this is a pretty coral and yellow colour (sign me up on one of these!)

* On Display – a dark purple with the slightest hint of yellow

2) Next up is the vision by Maria Kalman. She’s created this illustration of a woman sitting at her table, surrounded by an abundance of bright colours. She’s used the shades of MAC’s new Technakohl Eye Liners and Eye Shadows.

Let’s take a peek at the new eye liner colours ($14.50 USD/$17.50 CAD):

* Colour Matters – lime at its brightest shade

* Obviously Orange – a dirty looking coral shade

* Artistic License – an brilliant turquoise blue

* Full of Fuchsia – a deep and dark magenta (my favourite!)

* Graphblack – a classic black that every girl can use

3) Last up is Marilyn Minter’s photographic creation that features lots of glittery colours. Her image highlights all the possible ways to put on glitter.

Some glitter to make sure you get noticed is the Pigment product ($19.50 USD/$23.50 CAD) from MAC:

* Cocomotion – this is a dirty gold and bronze colour with a hint of pearl in there

* Brash & Bold – this is a bright magenta colour

* Heritage Rouge – for something a little darker try this brownish-plum shade

* Push the Edge – for something even darker, this is a deep purple colour with a hint of pearl

This is just a little taste of what’s in store from MAC this Fall. All of these exciting bold colours and more are available starting on August 20, 2009.

Here are some photos of the artists behind this new MAC Cosmetics collection:

1) Richard Phillips (he’s on the left):

2) Maira Kalman

3) Marilyn Minter (she’s obviously on the right)

I was watching a episode of “The View” and they had a special feature on make-up you can buy for $10 to help you stay beautiful on a budget during the recession.

I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and started writing because I think a lot of women are trying to adjust how they shop for cosmetics this season.

Canadian and international readers will have to keep in mind that some of the products on this list can only be found in the U.S., but the point is that during a recession, you’ll have to be open to try new brands you’ve never tried before if they allow you to remain on budget.

Barbara Walters’ make-up artist’s (Lori Klein) list of make-up under $10!

1) Max Factor Pan-Stick foundation eight shades (retails for $7)

2) Wet & Wild Ultimate eye shadow palette which comes in eight shades (retails for $4.99)

3) L’Oreal Liquid Telescopic Precision Eyeliner (retails for $7.99, but you might find it at Wal-Mart USA for as little as $6.58!)

4) CoverGirl Lash Blast (retails for $8.95, but I’ve seen it at $7.99 here in Canada so I’m such U.S. readers can get it much cheaper). Lori Klein didn’t talk about Maybelline mascaras that are all under $10 here in Canada so you know they must be about $7.99-$8.99 in the U.S. I equally love both CoverGirl AND Maybelline because their formulas are amazing and you cannot beat that price!

5) Andrea Lashes (these fake eyelashes retail for a measly $3.29)!

6) Revlon Powder Blush which comes in 14 shades (retails for $9.79)

7) Black Radiance Velvet & Glow Color & Shimmer for Face which comes in four shades (retails for $4.19, but you can find it online for as little as $3.99). This shimmer you can use on your face, cheeks and forehead.

#8) Plump Potion Lip Gloss (retails $9.95). Believe it or not, but for $9.95 you’ll get some great results because the product works quickly and you’ll notice the difference in about five minutes.

9) CoverGirl Lipstain (retails $7.29). We had featured this new CoverGirl product and you can read the full feature here: CoverGirl launches Outlast Lipstain … a lip stain that will actually last!

10) OPI Nail Polish (retails for $6.99). Lori Klein only features OPI (which I love), but Essie, Nicole by OPI and Zoya also retail for less than $10 here in Canada so it’s obvious that Americans can get a better price. Nothing says “pretty” like a fresh manicure. If you can no longer afford a weekly manicure, do your nails yourself as best as you can and finish it off with a fabulous nail polish colour. This season will feature some extraordinary shades.

During the review Lori Klein talked about the new OPI Nic’s Sticks which allows you to have an on-the-go-manicure. I’ve not tried it yet, but it’s getting good reviews on the blogosphere.

You can read all about Nail Polish trends for spring 2009 here:   Spring 2009 nail polish trends

I found that spring 2009 make-up trends are all over the map. You’ll see a lot of 80s, but you still see the classic red mouth and nude overall faces.

I’ll feature all the major cosmetic lines and I’ll let you know what’s in fashion.

Chances are you have a lot of the elements that are in fashion this season. If you cannot afford to buy new cosmetics, you can simply use these trends to pick and choose what would be beauty-season-ready! It might simply be a question of adding one new piece to your make-up for spring to complete the look without putting too much strain on your budget.

NARS Cosmetics: NARS is showing a much bolder face this season. This is not a palette for those who are shy and don’t like to call attention to themselves. The spring NARS Cosmetic collection will get you loads of attention because the colours stand out.

NARS is pushing things even further by presenting a red (Grenadines) and yellow-gold (Night Sun) eye shadow.

“My inspiration for spring was a very sexy woman. I wanted a bit of a 70s feeling.” – François Nars

I have to say that I’m quite partial to their Hula Hula shadow which is absolutely dazzling and soft enough to easily go from day to night.

Another must-have would be their limited-edition Orgasm/South Beach Multiple Duo which gives you one shade of peach-pink with a shimmering apricot colour that you put on your cheeks, eyelids or any other spots on your face where you want a blast of colour.

Here’s an interesting tidbit, the photos for the NARS Cosmetic Spring 2009 collection were photographed by François Nars himself!

Shiseido: The big story at Shiseido is their lip products: Perfect Rouge and Smoothing Lip Pencil. This is the first global color collection created by Shiseido’s Artistic Director Dick Paige (known for his work with top celebrities, photographers and designers all over the world)!

In this Shiseido spring 2009 Collection, Paige depicts his current vision and the signature colour is of course: dramatic red! Its name, ‘Dragon’ evokes images of Asian historical legendary figures.

RD514 ‘Dragon’ is exactly what you’d imagine – a blood red. This is the red that can work with heavy eyeliner and smoky lids by night or with a simple coat of mascara and a classic chignon for the daytime. It’s as much jeans and a white shirt as it is a beautiful evening gown.

Shiseido Make-up Perfect Rouge offers women a wide variety of lipsticks shades that will suit any occasion in your life with a comprehensive line of 20 vibrant shades that provide the truest, intense color for a sophisticated, perfectly lustrous look or simply nude finish. The luxurious texture smoothes and hydrates for ultra moisturized and vibrant lips.

Cle de Peau’s new line of product: Amy Winehouse move over! The biggest make-up news with this new Cle de Peau cosmetic line is their ‘Intensifying Cream Eyeliner’ in three shades.

Now you might wonder, what’s the big deal about another cream eyeliner? I’m happy you asked! The Cle de Peau is a waterproof and smudge-proof eyeliner designed to last for eight hours!!! The new Cle de Peau also features eye shadows and lipsticks.

You’ll also find a Cheek Color Duo that is very neutral, but still offers a lot of luminosity to the skin. One thing you’ll notice about Cle de Peau is that a lot of their shades are fairly neutral. Cle de Peau is a luxury brand so the prices will be a bit more than the average cosmetic line.

Lancôme introduces “pink and black” make-up collection by Aaron de Mey: Lancôme recently launched a limited edition collection with Make-up Artistic Director Aaron de Mey called “pink and black”. Now, it’s true this is a limited edition and I’m a bit late in featuring this, but given the state of the economy … I have a feeling the collection is still in stores.

The eleven-item range contains a bright red lipstick, black, red and pink ultra-shiny glosses, black and brick red nail varnishes, mascara, primer, foundation, highlighter and powder. You’ll want to keep reading because I’ll be giving out a few pieces of the collection in the coming weeks in a contest!!!

Bobbi Brown Platinum Pink: You can always count on Bobbi Brown for a solid collection of neutral shades. So I was thrilled to see that Bobbi Brown was adding a sparkle of colour with her Platinum Pink collection. Bobbi Brown features her signature “brick” which is a perfect make-up piece because you can use it on your eyelids and you cheeks.

You’ll also find Bobbi’s amazing Long Wear Cream Shadow in Steel, Platinum, Ash and Heather. Finally no collection would be complete without lips and Bobbi Brown presents three new shades of lip glosses.

If you want to take your shimmer all over … you might want to take a look at Bobbi Brown’s Shimmering Body Oil! This oil is infused with pink and platinum pearls and it gives your body a bit of sparkle. I say this might be the sexy new make-up addition I’ve come across in a long time!

YSL – Yves Saint Laurent Beauty: The spring 2009 collection from Yves Saint Laurent is all about pastel, fresh, light colours. These shades will be perfect on blondes and women with fairer skin. I don’t think this colour will look as impressive on darker skin beauties because there won’t be that much intensity from the collection.

Now it’s true that you can pack on more make-up, but then it ends up look way too fruity. Most any woman can get away with some of the lip glosses in darker shades, but overall this collection will suit fair skins.

Chanel Spring 2009 Bohemian Collection: When I saw the poster for the new Chanel Spring 2009 line (weeks before it launches) I stopped dead in my tracks because the colours were simply amazing.

This collection is flying off the shelf and there is a waiting list for the incredible Vendetta nail polish! The great thing about this collection is the fact that it’s neutral, but it has an edge. You’ll find incredible shades that can easily take you from day to night, but you’ve got enough pop of colour to make you stand out in a sophisticate way.

Dior Spring 2009 Make-up Cosmetics Collection: If the recession has put a dent on your designer handbag shopping, maybe the mini-Dior-handbags that are part of their make-up collection will bring a smile to your face!

The Lady Dior mini handbags are so adorable and you’ll notice that the look of the palette is inspired by the iconic Lady Dior handbag beloved by the late Princess Diana.

You’ll notice that the rest of the Dior Collection is very soft and sophisticated and it’s no wonder French women have been loving all things Dior cosmetics for decades … you simply cannot go wrong. The great thing is that you can choose from a matte or an iridescent five-shade eye shadow palette.

You can also choose from a Dior 2-palette eye shadow combination in a shimmery-peach and brown. I have a palette that is quite close to this one from last year and I cannot tell you how much I love it!

In my opinion, one of the most coveted items of the Dior collection is the Dior Addict Lip color … those lip glosses are hot-hot-hot.

Stila Spring 2009 Make-up collection: This season is going very light and very girly! I’ll be honest, I doubt this collection will suit everyone because I find the shades more appropriate for fairer skin tones. I love the Pearl Shimmer Gloss, but alas the shade is not saturated enough for my darker lips, but I’m sure this will look stunning on a lot other women.

Perhaps, it’s because the colours of their Precious Pearl Palette eye shadow doesn’t suit me at all, but I find the shades will look very pale on a lot of women. That said, the Pomegranate Crush lip and cheek stain will add a hint of colour that will be perfect for warmer months to come.

Guerlain Spring 2009 Make-up Collection: This season, Guerlain is going exotic! To celebrate a much awaited spring season, Olivier Échaudemaison (Guerlain’s creative genius) has created a rich collection drawn from an eccentric, eclectic garden of Eden, a colorful kaleidoscope of nature’s prettiest, most sensual colors and organic delights. This exotic palette is very fresh and I’m sure it will help you achieve the perfect face for your spring and summer functions that call for sophistication with a dash of fun.

The star of the collection is the Ombre Eclat eye shadow palette that comes in four shades that all have a hit of green-shimmer. The fun thing with these types of shadows is that you can create so many different looks by adding a bit more or less colour to your eye lid. Of course, you’ll be able to choose from a number of single-coloured eye shadows, but a four-shadow palette will always be a better buy.

Guerlain is taking freshness all the way to your lips with a first: green lip gloss. Pomme du Desir is the same shade as a Granny Smith apple and when applied to your lips you’ll get a hint of colour, but they won’t be green!

Beaute Cosmetic: The story at Beauty is their new liquid lip and cheek stain! If you notice more and more cosmetic companies are producing these lip and cheek stains. I’d say that in this type of severe recession having products that do double duty is welcome!

The Beaute Cosmetic Lip and Cheek Stains are made of a uniquely highly pigmented liquid/gel hybrid, the stain allows for an easily blendable colour that will last for many hours. You can go as light or as intense as you’d like with your lip and cheek stains because you can easily build on the colours by adding more layers. The Beaute Cosmetic Lip and Cheek Stains come in four shades and are designed to work alone with the Beauty Luminous Volume Gloss (for your lips).

***Ladies, you can download the Beauty Look Book for spring 2009 at the end of this post***

It’s that time of the year again where Pat McGrath features her best looks for the season.

CoverGirl has always been a great make-up line, but now with the recession and the super-affordable CoverGirl prices, I have a feeling a lot more women will gravitate towards this make-up line for their spring look.

Pat McGrath’s Beauty Look Book for spring 2009 reveals key trends based on the return of glamour make-up … these are looks that were feature on the catwalks of London, New York, L.A., Paris, Milan, Montreal and Toronto last fall during the international fashion weeks.

As creative director for P&G Beauty, Pat shares her inspiration behind each look, must-have CoverGirl products used and tips for how to re-create her revolutionary artistry.

In her Beauty Look Book for spring 2009, you’ll find it all in the attached Look Book and CoverGirl fact sheet.

To get you started, let me share Pat’s key trends for spring/summer 2009:

=> Sculpted face with rosy glow

=> Metallic brown eye

=> Constructed black eye

=> Smoldering black eye

The biggest news when it comes to lips for the new season is that we are now bouncing from bold red lips (which we’ve been seeing for a few seasons now) to a nude pout. This is great because these contrasts should allow all women to find the look they feel the most comfortable with.

This Beauty Look Book for spring 2009 will help you understand the step-by-step instructions you need to use in order to achieve some of the most fashionable looks inspired by Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Lanvin, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Jonathan Saunders, Nina Ricci and Calvin Klein.

Another great thing about the Pat McGrath’s P&G Beauty Look Book for spring 2009 is the fact that you know EXACTLY which products Pat used to achieve the looks. From what I can see you’ll be playing with the following CoverGirl make-up:

1) CoverGirl TRUblend MicroMinerals Foundation

2) CoverGirl TRUblend MicroMinerals Blush

3) CoverGirl TRUblend MicroMinerals Finishing Veil

4) CoverGirl TRUconceal

5) CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer

6) CoverGirl Eye Enhancers

7) CoverGirl LineExact Liquid Liner Pen

#8) CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara

9) CoverGirl Brow & Eye Makers

10) CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain

11) CoverGirl Continuous Colour Lipstick

Women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s will want to adapt the looks by remembering the golden rule of make-up: less is more!

>>>You can download the Look Book here:

Pat McGrath’s CoverGirl Beauty Look Book for spring 2009

I’m a woman who usually does the oh-my-God-I’ve-got-to-run-five-minute-makeup job before dashing off to events or to a meeting with a friend so you can imagine how much of a thrill it is for me to sit down with a renowned makeup artist and get the same treatment models get backstage during Paris … or Milan … or London … or New York fashion week!

MAC Cosmetics’ Senior Artist Jane McKay is a whiz with her makeup brushes and she’s one hell of an educator as well!

Last month, I highlighted my first meeting with Jane. If you missed all that incredible information and all those makeup tips for women over 35, you can still catch the posts here:

Should women over 35 continue to wear MAC Cosmetics makeup? (part 1)

Should women over 35 continue to wear MAC Cosmetic makeup? (part 2)

Since this IS the party season of the year it made perfect sense to me to sit down with Jane and talk about makeup tips for the holiday and also play with MAC’s Holiday 2008 “Red She Said” collection.

I had two requests to Jane: I wanted her to show me how to apply false eyelashes and I wanted to learn how to do a perfect tight line (apply a line of eyeliner on top of my eyelid).

Jane chose to use the new Red She Said eyeshadows as the base for my holiday look. The eyeshadows in this collection are all metallic, but that should NOT deter women over 35 from delving in with much confidence. It’s going to be a balancing act so that you aren’t wearing too much glitter.

The six palettes range from blues, to purples, to plums to even red (the Dangerzone palette)!

Jane chose the Inter-View palette which she felt would complement my complexion quite nicely because of the perfect blend of medium red brown, copper pearl and shimmering dark blue (this is a very dark blue that’s closer to being a blue-black).

I have to say that I was a bit hesitant when I saw the blue because I usually shy away from blue and chose purple instead because I find blue brings out my dark under-eye circles.

I’m happy I was wrong and I let Jane do her magic because the dark blue in the Inter-View palette is dazzling!

It’s an incredible experience sitting in front of a mirror and seeing your face being transformed by someone else. The experience of having a makeup artist do your makeup has nothing to do with doing your own makeup because you don’t know what they have in mind and you don’t know how they see your face and which features they want to focus on.

Jane chose to focus on my eyes and she gave me the kind of look that would literally stop traffic and cause people to talk (and it did!).

Here are the most memorable moments from my supermodel makeup session:

* I saw her apply the blue shadow from Inter-View on my eyelid in small and gentle strokes to create a perfectly straight line that extended past my eye.

* I watched Jane apply the false eyelashes (what a job that is) and then I looked at myself in the mirror and I noticed how much bigger my eye looked (she applied the mascara on my lashes before gluing on the false eyelashes).

* I took mental notes when she played with the metallic copper and shimmer dark brown colour from Inter-View on my eyelids.

* I also took mental notes when she suggested darkening my eyebrows with black instead of my usual dark brown to add drama to my evening makeup.

* I also noticed how she chose a plum coloured blush and not a hot pink because she wanted to match the warmth of the makeup with a blush that was appropriate and a blush that would also look good with the bronze colour lipgloss she selected for me (Miss Dynamite from Red She Said).

The look was really incredible and people around me commented on my makeup all afternoon and evening long.

I unfortunately didn’t have a big red-carpet event to attend, so I headed to the gym with my full on makeup and let me tell you that got everyone talking since I never wear makeup to the gym. I had men and women asking about my makeup.

At the end of my workout I stopped to chat with some of the staff at the front counter and I also started chatting with Dominique another gym-goer. I was lamenting on the sophisticated process of applying false eyelashes when she told me that she had a waaaaaaaaaaay easier way of applying MAC eyelashes. Dominique smartly books an appointment with a MAC beauty expert and for only $15, they will glue on eyelashes that you have already purchased to get you ready for your evening! Considering these beauty experts are trained to do this perfectly, I would entrust my lashes into their hands before I attempted to gluing this on myself … and for only $15!

Jane’s tips to taking your makeup from day-to-night for the holidays:

I asked Jane some of her tips to take your makeup from day-to-night and she had these practical tips to share:

1) Use a black pencil and smudge it around your eye or inside the rim of your eyes.

2) Use false eyelashes to glam up your look.

3) Use two coats of mascara to make your eyelashes stand out.

4) Use a bit of shimmer on your lips.

5) Shake things up by going for red bold lips and a more neutral face.

Here are photos of my final look (my skin is flawless) … I look glamorous, but not overly made up … imagine my hair done (think Halle Berry) and a nice dress and I’m ready to go!:

Here I am half way through with no lipgloss and no blush:

Here’s a close up so you can see my fake eyelashes … that was quite the glamorous experience!

Posing with MAC Cosmetics’ Senior Artist Jane McKay:

Red She Said makeup collection:

Red She Said EyeShadows:

Red She Said Lipstick:

Red She Said Lipgloss:

Photo from Beauty Match and MAC Cosmetics

You must know by now that Yves Saint Laurent has been one of my favourite make-up lines for two decades now. It’s the first make-up line I bought with my allowance money and I still enjoy wearing it today.

I really loved the purple palettes YSL had for fall 2008. If you didn’t have a chance to watch my video review of some of my favourite makeup for fall, you can still catch it here: Video Review of my some of my favourite makeup.

For Holiday 2008, Yves Saint Laurent has created the “Bow Collection” as homage to Yves Saint Laurent’s famous quote:

“One should always be tempted to untie a woman’s clothes” -

Yves Saint Laurent

The two MUST-HAVE items for Yves Saint Laurent’s “Bow Collection” are the Duo Lip Colour Palette, the Multi-Usage Make-Up Palette (in three limited edition creations), the 4-Colour Eye Shadow, a Touche d’Or pen-brush and a Touche Éclat Collector.

The collection is rich and decadent in the traditional YSL signature. If you are a big fan of blue nail polish, YSL has a created the La Laque #37 in bleu noir/deep blue just in time for the festive season.

1) Duo Lip Colour Palette: I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so adorable! You can now take your lip colours anywhere you go even when you are sporting a mini clutch thanks to this little case that also doubles as a bracelet and even comes with a little mirror for easy make-up touch-ups. The duo comes in two bright and sexy shades of raspberry and a soft pink.

2) 4-Colour Eye Shadow: This quarto is the perfect combination of soft tones ranging from rosy grey to soft pink. You can use the shades individually or blend them together to achieve the perfect holiday look.

3) Touche d’Or pen-brush: This frosted gold pen-brush releases an iridescent, luminous veil of golden peach on the face.  Its ultra-light texture blends with the skin and gives it a silky touch. The formula contains gold mother-of-pearl particles that catch the light in complete transparency.

4) Touche Éclat Collector: This is one of YSL’s best selling products. This collector’s item contains their two most popular shades: N°1 and N°2. They are perfectly wrapped in an elegant limited edition black velvet pouch trimmed with a satin bow.

You can find YSL beaute makeup at high end department stores in the US, Canada and most of Europe. You’ll also find YSL beaute makeup online at: YSL Beaute online.

*** This is an exciting post because Norman Sands will share some of his makeup tips for the holidays that were featured in a recent edition of OK! magazine. As with all of Norman’s tips, this is as detailed as can be ladies!***

How to add sparkles to your holiday makeup by Norman Sands

Let’s start from the beginning, here are three mistakes women make when they use sparkles:

1) I think women get overwhelmed with all the options and they don’t know how to wear sparkle makeup.

2) It can be difficult to know where to start because women don’t want to get it wrong … after all, we’ve all seen the girl at the party who looks like she’s from the cast of Xanadu!

Cast of the musical Xanadu below:

3) Most women are fearful of sparkle but also drawn to it … it’s sort of a love/hate relationship.

That said, adding a bit of glitz is a fun way to give your makeup a festive holiday twist.

Tip from Norman Sands: Pair sparkle with matte textures to keep makeup sophisticated and modern.

The idea is to add radiance and luminosity in a playful way and NOT look like you spent the afternoon at Libby Lu.

Tip from Norman Sands: You should shy away from products that look like chunky craft glitter.

Many women feel like they can’t or shouldn’t wear sparkle but it’s actually more about how and where it’s applied.

1) Choose no more than one to two features to add sparkle and keep the rest neutral. If you wear sparkle all over your face, you’ll end up looking like a seven year old school girl!

2) Think of shimmery sparkle as an accessory … use it sparingly in specific areas.

3) If you are afraid of sparkle then opt for shimmer or metallic textures.

Normand Sands’ step-by-step guide to adding sparkle to your holiday makeup:

1) Your EYES:

* Glitter pencils are an easy way to take a day look to the office party. Depending on the shade they can be used on the eyes, lips, face or body. I’d recommend these NARS Cosmetic shades: Le Sept, Mud Club and Danceteria Glitter Pencils.

* Keep sparkle close to the lash line or inner corner of the eyes to brighten and dazzle eyes.

Glitter pencils can also be used as an eye shadow base. Blend onto the lid and set with a complimentary powder shadow.

* You can also dip a damp your eyeliner brush into a sparkling silver or gold shadow to line the eyes, the effect is dazzling. Try Night Life or Silent Night by NARS Cosmetics.

Tip from Norman Sands: Sparkle and shimmer makeup should be applied with a soft natural brush to avoid using too much. Try the NARS Cosmetics Wide Contour Brush #16 for eyes and Kabuki Yachiyo Brush for cheeks.

* Silver and gold combined on the eye is very flattering and modern.

* For something fun dust your favorite shimmer shadow onto mascara before it dries for eyes that sparkle.

* You can also apply false lashes that have a sparkly band at the lash line (Sephora Glitter Lashes are great).

* Remember that all that sparkles in not gold.  You should try silver and copper shadow to brighten tired eyes.

2) Your CHEEKS: 

* Sparkling pressed powder creates an ethereal glow for any skin tone and is appropriate for any age or occasion. It can even be worn to the office.

* Use a fluffy soft brush and dust over bronzer to highlight and illuminate the complexion. Try using Ita brush #28 by NARS Cosmetics.

* Add some sparkle under the brow bone, on the inner corner of the eyes, on the top part of the cheekbones and in the center of the face for a candlelit glow. You might to take a look at these pressed powder options by NARS Cosmetics: Venus, Macchu Picchu or Gold Rush Sparkling.

* For an evening look dust shoulders and décolleté or layer a sparkling blush with gold tones (like Super Orgasm) over a cream blush to create red carpet luminous skin.

On Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) I used Nars Brightening Serum with Toumota Bronzing Mutiple topped with Super Orgasm blush to give her a dazzling radiance.

Don’t forget to catch some great tips from Norman’s makeup tips he applied to create an amazing look for Leighton Meester: Norman Sands shares his makeup tips from a recent makeup job with Leighton Meester (star of Gossip Girl)

Tip from Norman Sands: Add a little blush beneath the brows blended into the outer lid to brighten and give the eyes a lift.

3) Your LIPS:

* NARS Cosmetics’ Galactica Lacquer is made from Japanese crushed pearl and can liven up any lipstick shade. It also takes the deeper tones from fall and creates a new holiday lipcolor.

The twist: Apply Galactica Lacquer (Sparkly Lip Gloss) first and blend bright lipsticks over.

Here my favorite trick: Apply a frosty lipstick over glossed lips for a patent leather shine. Sexual Healing lipstick is the perfect frosty lipstick to do the job.

* Use a metallic raspberry gloss like Boogie Nights over your favorite nude lipstick or gloss to vamp up lips for the holiday season.

Remember that shimmer, frost and sparkle textures makes lips appear pouty and fuller while golden lip gloss shades will accentuate any red lipstick and create ultra glamour. You might want to try Moon Fleet or Greek Holiday.

Tip from Norman Sands: Apply lip gloss to the center of the bottom lip with fingertip and blot lips together. Too much gloss causes lipstick to feather and bleed.

4) Your NAILS:

* Adding sparkle to the nails is appropriate for any age. Create a holiday manicure or pedicure by topping off bold and dark polishes with an iridescent or sparkly one. You might want to try Arabesque or Orgasm polish on top of your darker shades.

Tip from Norman Sands: Glitter polish is very long wearing and more difficult to remove than other polish textures.

When it comes to adding sparkles to your Holiday makeup, ALWAYS think of sparkly makeup as fun accessory!

The bottom line is simple: have fun … it’s only makeup!

Top photo of Norman Sands and a model by Kurtis Bowerstock Photography

***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!

I’m sure you’ll find these 2 Holiday 2008 Cover Girl looks quite handy when it comes to creating your own festive looks:

1) Office Party Signature Look: For the day look Paul chose a beautiful palette of purple shades that he offset with a bright lip colour. This is a very clean and sophisticated look that will get you a lot of compliments from co-workers.

2) New Year’s Eve Signature Look: You’ll notice how intense the eyes are! This is very dramatic and it perfectly offsets a softer face and softer lips. This is the perfect look to compliment any sparkle you might be wearing to ring in the New Year!

If you like lip gloss or if you’re looking for a great stocking stuffer, you might want to take a look at Cover Girl’s Wetslicks Lipgloss trio. At less than $15 CAD/$ 13 USD, you’ll make someone on your list very happy without breaking the bank or you’ll be proud of your budget-conscious beauty-buy!

You can download the Holiday Day look here and find out what makeup Paul Venoit: Cover Girl Holiday Day Look by Paul Venoit

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.

I hope you’ve had the chance to discover some of these brands, but just in case you’ve not, I’ll highlight a few Canadian cosmetic companies that are on the rise:

Beauté Cosmetics: Beauté Cosmetics actually might have started with brushes, but it now manufacturers and distributes a full line of lip glosses. Beauté Cosmetics’ Luminous Volume Gloss glides on as a smooth non-sticky gel and provides a satin finish that feels more like a moisturizing lipstick than a lip gloss. Along with benefiting from the hydrating characteristics of a lip gloss, you get the advantage of a lip plumper … all in one tube.

Beau Nelson (the creative mind behind the brand) has been the celebrity makeup artist for stars like hip-hop soul Queen Mary J. Blige and Project Runway Canada’s host Iman.  Beauté lip glosses retail for $26. You can find them exclusively at Holt Renfrew in Canada. You can also purchase them on their web site:  Beauté Cosmetics

Beau Nelson and Iman (aka Mrs. David Bowie)

DaLish Cosmetics: Melanie, creator of DaLish Cosmetics, had an epiphany while reading a copy of Elle magazine and decided to create a line of cosmetics specifically targeted to the busy woman on the go. DaLish Cosmetics comes in a small recyclable cardboard canister that is conveniently designed for the gym, business trips, sleepovers or for a complete make-over after work. The ingenious packaging is very handbag friendly and contains everything you need for perfect make-up on the go. DaLish Cosmetics’ canister include: three blendable concealers/foundations, cream blush, two lip glosses, two eye shadows, a highlighter, mascara and an eyeliner.

The DaLish Cosmetic Canister is sold in a number of stores in Canada. You’ll find the list on their Web site: DaLish Cosmetics.

Pink Beauty: Pink Beauty Cosmetics was created by April Jacob. April has been a make-up artist for over a decade and she’s worked with a long list of high-profile clients that include actors, athletes, politicians and CEOs. Her work has appeared in notable publications such as Time, People, Entertainment Weekly and Women’s Sports Illustrated.  There will always be an association for me between April and Bobbi Brown, because I still remember her as the pretty girl who helped me select some of my Bobbi Brown make-up. Pink Beauty Cosmetics was designed for today’s glam girl-on-the-go. This line consists of a series of soft, delicate pink shades that reflect 1940s Hollywood glamour and fashion-forward modernity all in one.

You can buy the full line on Pink Beauty’s web site!

Balmshell: Balmshell is the labour of love of two self-described “cosmetic junkies”. Jennifer and Fiona Lees are Canadian identical twin sisters who have created a new collection of lip glosses. The inspiration for the look and unique packaging of Balmshell came from a float art pen Jennifer and Fiona purchased in a kitschy shop in Yorkville (a tony neighbourhood in Toronto). Imagine one end of your lip gloss as a traditional lip gloss that any other cosmetic company produces, but the other end of the lip gloss is a transparent tube containing colourful illustrations and amusing storylines.  Here’s the best part: once you’re finished with your lip gloss unscrew the “float art” top and screw it into the keychain component provided in the packaging … you’ve gone from lip gloss to keychain … how earth-friendly is that? Balmshell lip glosses retails for $25 and you check the Balmshell Cosmetics store locator to find the nearest retail location to you.

Photo of Canadian flag by abdallahh

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.

6) Can you give us three easy tricks so that women can turn their daytime look into a nighttime look in five minutes?

It’s so easy to go from daytime makeup to nighttime makeup in a few easy steps:

* Wear fake eyelashes because it adds instant glam factor.

* Use a black pencil inside the eye and add a black line on top of the eyelid – if you don’t like black pencils, don’t be afraid to use grey or dark brown instead … this will give your eyes a lot of drama.

* ALWAYS wear gloss when you go out at night.

7) As a makeup artist, what are the three things you see that women do with their makeup that drive you crazy?

It really comes back to what I had said earlier. Woman of every age group have a problem with

* Choosing the right colours for their skin tone.

* Properly blending colours so you cannot tell one colour starts and the other ends.

* Not overdoing it when it comes to makeup … you don’t have to wear a lot of makeup to look good.

#8) At MAC you offer a consultation service. Why are those consultation services so important at providing some guidance to women when it comes to applying makeup properly for your face?

* Our beauty consultants have years of experience.

* The recommendations are suited to your specific needs.

* With each new season, you should really consider getting a makeup-bag-tune-up.

* A makeup consultation is fun and playful … it’s the ideal way to get a great new look that will enhance your features.

* When you book a consultation with a MAC beauty expert, your fee is deductable against products you buy. So in the end you get great advice and you get products that you’ve tried on and feel comfortable wearing.

Jane also recommends bringing in your makeup bag so that the beauty expert can guide you with what you have and you don’t end up buying the same colours you already have at home.

9) What are some of the hottest makeup trends for fall 2008?

* The burgundy lip is very popular this season. “At MAC Cosmetics we call it Devine”. ***Krizia, do you mean “Divine?”**** Women over 35 can still wear this trend, but instead of wearing a heavy burgundy lip, you might want to use burgundy as a stain and top it off with a clear gloss … that way you get the burst of colour, but the colour is not wearing you … you are wearing it.

* The perfect-flawless face is important. “At MAC Cosmetics we call it Honed”. Skin is the most important part of makeup. It doesn’t matter what colours you wear or how expensive is your makeup … if you don’t have beautiful skin … then nothing will really look quite right.

* Purple is an undeniable trend for the season and it’s a PERFECT colour for ethnic beauties. When it comes to purple, don’t have to use it on the entirety of the lid and you don’t have to use too much of it. Just a dab of purple will open your eyes!

* This season is all about the sexy eye and using eyeliner is key. “At MAC Cosmetics we call this 7tease” (aka 70s) and it really elongates the eye. That said, it’s still important to keep the eye liner soft and not hard.

Contouring is THE secret of celebrities!

During my makeup session with Jane she showed me how to contour. She revealed that many of the Hollywood stars have A-list makeup artists who use contouring with powder to really help define, minimize certain features or sculpt the face.

She used one darker bronzer on the outer part of my face and a lighter colour of Mineralize Skin Finish on the bridge of my nose, around my mouth and under my eyes to soften lines or any hollow effect I might have.

It was incredible to see the difference. That said, contouring is an art and that’s the kind of question you should have for your beauty consultant. They can show you to contouring your face and then you can practice at home and do it yourself.

My MAC Cosmetics face!

It took Jane about 20 minutes to do my face and that included the contour and also miraculously hiding all my hyperpigmentation marks with the MOST incredible concealer I’ve come across.

Here’s the list of colours Jane used on my face:

* MAC NC 50 Select Cover Concealer

* Medium Dark Mineralize Skin Finish Pressed Powders

* Dark Mineralize Skin Finish Pressed Powders (she used this as a bronzer on the outer parts of my face)

* Antique Gold Cream Colour Base (this is one of the best gold shades I’ve ever tried)

* Espresso (this is the perfect shade of brown)

* Parfait Amour Eye shadows (this is an incredible shade of purple)

* Lingering brow pencil

* Pink Swoon blush (this such a beautiful bright shade of pink … it instantly brightens and opens my face)

* Viva Glam 1 lipstick (this is a lipstick with a cause)

* Fix+ Spray (this is a spray that fixes your makeup and it’s a great hydration tool when you have to be on an airplane)

It was interesting when she said that she did exactly what she had done on her face that morning on my face, but she simply used shades that were appropriate to my skin tone … since she was a fair-skinned blonde and I’m not.

Here’s the finished look:

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:

1)  What are some of the top essential makeup products women over 35 should NOT be without?

It’s all about the face. Before even thinking of makeup products, women over 35 need to focus on having the perfect canvas (aka the perfect face). The reality is that:

“Skincare is 90 per cent of the end result … every women should strive to have beautiful, translucent, natural looking skin”

This is very easy to create when you know the steps:

1. Exfoliant: This is an absolute necessity once or twice per week – as you age your skin will not rejuvenate its self as quickly. MicroFine Refinisher is a cleanser from MAC that contains an exfoliator to help your skin glow.

2. Moisturize: That’s so important at any age, but more so as you age in order to keep your skin protected against dryness.

3. Use SPF Protection: You really should never leave your home without at least an SPF 15. I’d recommend the MAC Studio Moisture Fix with an SPF 15. We also carry products with protection as high as SPF 50.

4. Foundation: Use the right shade of foundation for your skin tone. If you’ve been using the same foundation since your teens, you should get a makeup consultant to make sure the shade and the consistency is appropriate for you.

5. Use a concealer: you’ll be able to hide a multiple of sins thanks to the magic of a concealer.

6. Use powder: One again, you want to use the right shade of powder to finish your makeup. Mineralize Skinfinish from MAC comes in different shades and it’s perfect to set your foundation.

7. Use a bronzer: A bronzer that is NOT too dark will do wonders at contouring your face. You really want to only use bronzer on certain parts of your outer face and you should NEVER use bronzer like you use a finishing powder.

2)  What are some of the three biggest mistakes women in their 30s, 40s, 50s make when it comes to their makeup?

* They chose the wrong colours for their skin tone

* They do a poor job at properly blending colours

* They wear far too much makeup

You have to remember that after the age of 35, it’s no longer about colours but it’s about intensity. You want to choose the right colours for your skin tone and you want to make sure you’re not using too much of anything.

3) When should women wear fake eyelashes? Can you give us some quick tips on how to apply them?

* Fake eyelashes are great to intensify the eyes and give them that instant pop.

* The best way to use false eyelashes is NOT to choose a pair that is too thick.

* You want to choose ones that aren’t full and you want to cut them in half.

* You want to really only glue the fake eyelashes at the outer part of the eye.

* As women age, their eyes will droop downwards, fake eye lashes will help lift and open the eye.

4) What are the three “must-dos” women in their 30s, 40s, 50s should take into consideration when approaching makeup.

In my opinion you MUST:

a) Moisturize

b) Use a natural looking foundation

c) Use bronzer in a shade that’s not too dark

I’ll add a fourth one … it’s important to use blush because as you age your circulation slows down and you need blush to bring some brightness to the face.

I’ll also add to ALL women should wear pink, gold and coral shades because those colours do such a good job at illuminating the face.