PS: Halloween

Just to show you the final product on both of us!

Aaaand we forgot to put in contacts.

C'est L'Halloween!

I'm not sure how successful this costume was since people kept asking what we were.  I eventually showed them this google search*** and about a third of the people went "Ohhhh!"  We'll see.  Try not to cheat =P 

Me, at more or less the same developmental stage.
Tod is extremely pale.

NYX Round Lipstick in Electra.
No idea where it disappeared.

***google search here

Notes

1. I used all drugstore products so I wouldn't be shy about laying them on SUPER thick.  You'll need to get the right opacity for this look.
2. Start the dots by mapping out four quadrants on your face -- that is, make a line of dots down the middle and across your face so you have something to compare against.  Speaking of dots, aren't they even?  Tod and her steady dentist-to-be hands did them!  My arms got too tired to lift after a while.
3. Lightly press the lip liner where you want your dots and twist it on your skin to get a stronger pigment
4. Everything is easier with an angle brush or a detail brush (like the 209)
5. I used all EcoTools brushes -- they are a GODSEND.  And beyond cheap.
6. Don't use a NYX Jumbo Shadow pencil for the lines -- it's far too greasy.  A little gel liner mixed with NYX black shadow worked the best.
7. Don't forget to put mascara on your false lashes. They will not look as cartoon-y as they're supposed to.  If I hadn't been running late, I actually would have doubled up on the number of lashes
8. Give yourself plenty of time.  I was an hour and a half late because I forgot I had to do my own face.
9. I know Lichtenstein is supposed to be extremely two dimensional, but I feel so naked without a contour.  Take a little of the black eye shadow with an extremely fluffy brush and dust almost all the product off.  NYX's black shadow is EXTREMELY pigmented!
10. I meant to powder this look with a little HD powder, but I found that even on my greasy skin, none of the make up rubbed off for at least three or four hours.  It did get itchy though, so I had to wash it off before I could really test wearing time.  A silicone powder might have smoothed things out and made things less uncomfortable.  You tell me!

Happy All Hallows' Eve Eve!

OPI: Blue My Mind

I'd forgotten how lovely you are.

This is the most beautiful royal indigo blue.  Whenever I have it on I cannot stop staring at it -- and not just me.  I catch people gazing at them when I type, get my coffee or play with my phone.  I put this on (read: got a manicure) two days ago and at least three people have complimented me on it.  If there is a blue you NEED, it is this one.  Maybe except Chanel Blue Satin, but that's a whole different ball game.

Caveat:  It gets ridiculously thick, but that's true for all metallics.  My bottle literally won't move anymore, so I only get this in salons.

LGFW: Adrian Wu Beauty

On Friday I went to see Adrian Wu's SS '12 show and got a minute to say hi to the man himself and ask for a full product line up.

A little background from the FDCC...

Age proves to be but a number when 21 year old Adrian Wu has already racked up a long list of fashion accreditations in just the last year alone. Wu taught himself how to sew at age 18 and in late 2010 he started his own design company. In the same year, Wu worked as a part time correspondent for MuchMusic and was also internationally published in a book called Style Diaries. Adrian Wu continues to develop his company in Canada and will be opening a store front studio downtown Toronto end of 2011. Wu has already been featured in Flare with Fashion Magazine and Fashion Television already marking him as a one to watch. He has also had his first corporate collaboration with Allan Candy Inc., where he was commissioned to make a collection of dresses out of their wrappers. Wu is known for his use of upholstery and unconventional design around the female silhouette. He has already produced seven collections in his two years of being in the industry so there is no telling what he will come up next. Visit www.adrianwu.com for more info.


The entire collection had a fanstasy-meets-science feel; light, whimsical fabrics and pastel colours lent to a wood-nymph feel and the Galilean headpieces added a touch of structure.  Models tottered out in 8 inch heels against a white backdrop and the show closed with a string trio playing out the final walk through.

A couple of my favourite looks from the show...

LGFW's makeup was sponsored by L'Oreal and that last model in the blue and green is Myles Sexton, model and occasional make up artist who was kind enough to walk me through each step.

1. Use L'Oreal's Visible Lift Firming foundation all over the face to even out your skin tone (no concealer was mentioned, I'm going to assume it's due to the fact that models are freaking perfect).
2. Next use L'Oreal True Match Powder in a slightly darker shade than you need to contour.  Don't go too dark since you just want to highlight your cheekbones and warm up your face.
3. For eyes, they used L'Oreal Lush Raven from the lash line all the way up to the top of the brow and layered the blue side from L'Oreal's HIP Duo in Animated.  Then they blended the white side all around the edges to bring a little highlight to the face.
4. To keep the focus on the eyes, a little concealer was used to lightly blank out the lip.

I'm contemplating doing an interpretation of this look -- I think if you just use a strong highlight (not necessarily a white shadow!), a black and blue shadow (think UD Naked's Gunmetal and Creep mixed together) for a strong smokey eye and a nude lip?  Instant runway to real way.  I can't believe I just said that.

The man himself!

Cleansers Anonymous

I'm the Procrastinator, this is my friend TOD and we're cleanser addicts.

Together, we'll get through this.

We did something bad.

I don't want to talk about it.

Kiss of Liquid Lipstick and Viva Glam

On TOD:  Revlon Colorburst in Papaya (020)

On me: MAC Viva Glam I

I'm so on the fence about these Colorburst liquid lipstick/lipgloss things.  A) I hate the applicator B) I'm not sure I like the formula but it might be the applicator and C) I managed to pick two colours that really don't look good on me.

That's not true, Papaya has its moment.  I think the formula's actually not bad though...but I despise this applicator even more than I despise the current Juicy Tube formula.  I've found the only way I can get the finish I want is to deposit a ton of product onto the back of my hand and smoothing it on with my finger.  Of course, there has to be a catch: the colour sheers out.  *facepalm* It's okay after a few layers, but I can't help but feel that its supposed to be opaque opaque, not just...almost opaque.

Viva Glam I was my second red.  The first was an ill-advised choice pushed on me by a begrudging MAC artist (Brave Red...it'll come up sooner or later), but this dark, vampy, brown-based red has solidly turned me into an occasional red-lip wearer.

What are you wearing today?  Tell me -- I'm nosey.

Review: Duwop Payoff

Remember this look?  No?  Well just one more time, here it is:

I picked this up in a Gone but Not Forgotten bin at Shopper's Drug Mart for $10.  I think I need to go back and get another one.

I decided to try it on a few differently-priced shadows.  I'm using Joe Fresh shadow in Faded Violet, Revlon Matte eyeshadow in Venetian Blue, the green side from NARS Rated R and a random pink from the BH 120 Palette, first edition.

Swatched dry

Top: Swatched dry
Bottom: Swatched with DuWop Payoff

Middle: Swatched with Duwop Payoff
Bottom: Swatched with water

L-R: Dry, Duwop Payoff, Water

I don't know why my camera is suddenly performing so extraordinarily, but all the colours look rather vibrant in the photos.  Still, I hope you can see a minor difference between each row.

I found that it didn't make much of a difference for the NARS shadow -- the pigmentation and colour stayed more or less the same between all three swatches.  It made a huge difference for the BH 120 Palette and the Revlon Matte shadow though; both colours got way brighter and more opaque.  Joe Fresh's Faded Violet was rather opaque to begin with, but mixing it with Duwop Payoff or water made it much creamier.  I also found that the water made it more pink-based, but you can't tell in the photos.

In a pinch, you could substitute water -- especially if you use a high end shadow.   There is, though, a certain kick of pigmentation that water can't give you.  For $10?  I'm really glad I got it.  For $17?  Maybe.  But I'd probably just get a better shadow.

Quick tip: when you wet your shadow, wet it at the edge of the pan so it won't crack as easily after it dries.

Weekend Look

I picked something up that I can't wait to review for you guys, but just to tide you over, check out TOD's look from this weekend!  It was taken with a friend's DSLR and this is the only photo I have so far but I couldn't wait to show you.

TOD's notdrunk! face

And no, it's not just the camera -- it really IS that bright.

Details to come!

Kiss of Berry and Fuschia

Pardon the pink tinge to our skin
-- I had to adjust the hue so the lipstick would show true
Tee hee, I rhymed.

Tod:  Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in No Competition
Blotted twice.   It's a pinky, red that builds to mauve really quickly.  Super pigmented and soft.

Procrastinator: CoverGirl Lip Perfection in Divine.
Bright (almost neon), cool-toned, purple-y fuschia.  'Nuff said.

Other Saturday doings?  French readings.  Is my life exciting?

(Say yes.)

Kiss on the Lips outtake

Tod is a mutant.

Kiss on the Lips

I'm rearranging my makeup organization system and it never occurred to me how much lip stuff I have until this happened:

Tod: 'It's like being in Sephora!"

I have a problem.

Hence, the beginning of a new series. Tod and I are going to photograph a different lip colour every day until I  have fully swatched every colour in my collection.

Tod: MAC Amplified Lipstick in Blooming Lovely (LE)

Me: Joe Fresh Lip Stain in Candy

my morning in photos

The best way to start your day

 Trying a new product

Six sites I visit every day

Rain?

I'm too lazy for makeup

Today, I'm a sherpa

I can't leave home without my phone charger, headphones and a water bottle

Tod and me -- wave goodbye!

Could it be?

I think I'm about to finish my first foundation.

I can feel the end is near

This is not the first foundation I've ever purchased, but it is the first foundation I will have emptied.

This (almost) marks a day almost as momentous as the day I finished my first (cherry) chapstick.

It's going to be a good week.

Liquid Gold

As soon as I typed those words into the title bar I realized there are a million and eight things I consider liquid gold (one of them being gravy).

Tod was rushing off to work the other day and of course, that is the only time I am ever inspired to do a look.  Onwards!

Changed the hue of this photo to show you how gold the gold is

Seriously -- is that not the foiliest, creamiest gold you've seen in your life?

That's what my desk looks like after a look.

Tod got tired after a while

I felt like playing with false lashes but I didn't want something too 'done'.  Ergo, no foundation because I wanted to keep all the freckle-y goodness she'd accumulated over the summer.  To further emphasize the casual, summery feeling of natural skin, I smudged the liner to within an inch of its inky life.  The lips I kept fairly neat because...smudgy red lips just don't work.  No

1. Line your upper lashline and upper waterline with a creamy black liner (Styli-Style Line & Seal in Carbon Black) and blend with a cotton swab
2. Cut a pair of standard false lashes (mine are from a random salon in Toronto) in half and place on outer half of eyes
3. Add a few individuals (Individual  Lashes by Quo) for an extra feathery look and pinch together with a lash curler
4. Fill in any gaps with the same black liner
5. Line lower lashline with a highly pigmented gold liner (HIP Chrome Eyeliner in Gold Charge)
6. Set by pressing a gold eye shadow into the line with a cotton swab -- better than a brush since the pressing motion will keep the shadow from falling onto your cheeks (Urban Decay Half Baked)
7. Fill in brows using MAC Lingering -- I need to get this product. I'm head over heels in love.
8. Apply MAC Russian Red Matte to lips (I used an angle brush to sketch in a cupid's bow)
9. For cheeks, I applied MAC Lustre Drops (in the lighter colour...can't remember what it's called) using this technique

Wisdom Teeth Update:  I'M SO HUNGRY.  I'm actually already eating solid food but every time I do, the soreness comes back with a vengeance.

Happy GOBBLE Day!