We got to talking about makeup missteps, techniques and favourite products and I figured that given that it’s party season, I should share Jessica’s suggestions for getting the basics right.

ON BROWS

Jessica: “How important are brows?! THE MOST IMPORTANT! It’s like when you go into a friends house to use the bathroom, if it’s clean you don’t notice, if it’s a mess, you cringe and make a toilet paper seat. That’s like brows. If they are good, you think “wow that woman is gorgeous” if they are a mess you think “I wonder if she’d notice if I turned her into an internet meme.”

Jess says any brow novice must start with a trip to a reputable professional who will follow the generally accepted guidelines for brow shape, which you can find here.

As for colour? I was surprised to learn the way to go is a shade lighter than my natural shade, which helps avoid the “Groucho Marx look”.

Product recommendations:

• eyebrow pencils by NARS and MAC
• eyebrow gel by Makeup Forever
• eyebrow satin by Maybelline

ON FOUNDATION

Jessica: “I’m not a fan of tinted moisturizer. Which I know is a broad stroke, and I’m sure someone somewhere will write me to tell me how they LOVE their specific brand, but, I personally think it’s a bit of a scam. You are basically buying a lightweight, do nothing moisturizer with a smidgen of foundation in it. Why not buy your favourite moisturizer that suits your specific skin needs and a fantastic foundation? Then you can use each on it’s own for occasions that call for it, and mix them together yourself on days when you just want a bit of coverage.”

Product recommendation:

• Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation

ON LASHES

Jessica: “Everyone needs to be curling their eyelashes. And I mean EVERYONE. That’s the number one question I ask my clients and I’d estimate about 75% say no. I told one of my beauties yesterday that I curl mine at least once a day and she laughed and said “People do that!?!” Yes, people do. People like me anyway!”

” Also, if your mascara has a tendency to travel (i.e. smudge), I suggest using a tubing mascara. The original Kiss Me mascara is a good one, but other brands have hopped on the bandwagon and so these days it’s a little easier to find at your local drugstore.”

Product recommendations:

• Dior Show Mascara, in Blackout
• Maybeline (for those who prefer a smaller brush for precision work)
• Shu Uemura eyelash curler

ON CONTOURING

Contouring is the exercise of highlighting areas of the face like the brow line, cheeks and nose and made popular recently by the Kardashian girls.

Jessica: “People have been contouring forever. The Kardashians did not invent it. For the novice, try using a light bronzer and avoid contouring your nose. I promise you, you have a nice nose, leave it alone. Cheek bones and jaw lines are the easiest place to start.”

Product recommendations:

• Soft and Gentle by MAC (apply sparingly to the top of your cheekbones. This has a dramatic “wow” effect in low light.)
• Film Star by Charlotte Tilbury
• Sun Club Matte Bronzer -by Essence

ON EYELINER

Jessica: “The one thing that I notice over and over that people get wrong, is not taking their eyeliner all the way to the outside corners of their lashes. If anything, the liner should slightly extent past the eye and slant upwards. Like a teeny tiny cat eye. A trick to achieve this is to drastically over line your eye and clean up the mess with a q-tip dipped in makeup remover. Picture an imaginary line from the outside of your eye to the end of your eyebrow. Clean up everything below the line.”

“When you are lining under the eyes I recommend keeping your black eyeliner nice and tight to your lashes and use an eyeshadow to bring it down. You can really bring it down as low as you want, as long as you extend it up and out an equal distance on the outside edge of the eye.” (See photo below)

Product recommendations

• Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Black Ink
• MAC Engraved pencils

For more tips and inspiration and if you happen to be in Toronto and want to book the best make-up artist in the city, check out www.jessicahaisinger.com

You need a really good one the night before. This is the time to take whatever measures you need to ensure a deep slumber. For me, that means reading – not tv – before bed, no more than one glass of wine, ear plugs and half a sleeping pill. (NOTE: if you don’t already take the odd sleeping pill, this is not the time to start. Talk to your doctor.) And of course there are many herbal sleep remedies on the market as well. But a cat meowing three blocks away will wake me up, so I need the big guns.

2. Food

Try to make your diet generally healthy over the week preceding your event. It really does show up on your skin. This does NOT mean starving yourself, which will only make your skin a bit grey. Amp up the fruit and vegetables and skip dessert and salt.

On the day of the event, eat some healthy fats right before you head out. Half an avocado is perfect. It’ll soak up some of the alcohol you may be consuming. If you plan to have some drinks, I’d have half a beer while getting ready (as long as you’re having a snack as well) to help you relax and get into party mode. If you’re not sure of the food program, it’s even wise to carry a few nuts in your clutch! Arriving ravenous is never wise.

3. Tan

This step isn’t for everyone, but being as ghostly white as I am I like to get my glow on. Not quite a tan but just a kiss of colour. That means the morning before, a good exfoliation. (I know we all like to skip this step but for flawless radiance you really must do it. My favourite body scrub is by Kiehls.) Then a head to toe application of Sothys self tanner. Believe me when I tell you I have tested ALL the tanners out there. This is my current favourite and it has no odour. L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist is also a good choice. Always practice with these products in advance.

4. Underwear

Yes, underwear. We all plan our outfit in advance, but do you go the extra step of planning your undergarments? This will affect your overall comfort and how you appear in pictures. If you’re planning to go braless or are wearing something different than usual, like a Spanx undergarment (our favourite brand), I recommend taking a photo of yourself in your entire outfit in advance. The camera flash has an interesting way of highlighting things you thought were safely hidden from public view. That’s why I recommend “Nippies” for those braless occasions.

Hair & Make-Up

And then, of course, comes the all-important hair and make-up. I swear you can be wearing an unbelted garbage bag and it wouldn’t matter if you’ve got good hair and make-up. For that I asked make-up artist Nicole Harvie to help me get gala-ready. And these are her top tips, no matter what the event:

1. Manicure & Pedicure

Perfectly primped nails can have you feeling like a superstar in about an hour. Whether you are swinging by the salon or painting in front of the TV, make sure you have enough drying time allotted. Get both fingers and toes done the day before the big event to avoid any dents. Freshen them up the day of with a slick of cuticle oil. Top pick: OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go by O.P.I. that comes in a squeezy tube with a soft-touch brush.

2. Skin

Depending upon how much skin you have showing, you want to ensure all skin is hydrated. A glow-all-over effect adds instant glam. Have a long soak the night before with a bath oil for deep-hydration (Top pick: Eminence Apricot Body Oil) and before you don your party best, apply a veil of hydrating body lotion with some luminosity to add extra sheen.

I am currently obsessed with Eminence Blueberry Shimmer Body Lotion.  Don’t forget to layer on your favorite facial night cream so your complexion is as smooth as possible the next morning.

3. Make-up & Hair

As a professional make-up artist, you’re never fully dressed without beautiful make-up. Whether it’s simple or dramatic, decide on the focal point of the makeup and play up your best feature, from pillowy Angelina Jolie lips to old Hollywood doe eyes.

If you are having a professional do your makeup, be sure to show them your outfit and discuss the look you are trying to achieve. My clients always book to have their hair done before I do their makeup so there are no water drops on their foundation from the hair washing sink! Whatever the final result of your makeup & hair, ensure that you are comfortable and happy before you head out the door.

4. Fabulous Fringe

Big splashy events call for extra eyelashes! Experiment with individual and strip lashes ahead of time to test your sensitivity. Some gals find them irritating and/or cumbersome. If you love big lashes, you may want to try (well in advance of your event) some professional eyelash extensions. Top pick: extensions by Misencil, which hail from France. What’s not to love?

Most importantly, don’t take any of it too seriously. Smile, have fun and plan a safe ride home.

 My dress is Balmain, shoes are Fendi, and bag is Prada.

Thanks for the tips, Caitlin!

Diorshow Black Out Mascara

It’s not the cheapest mascara but I maintain that it’s the best.  It does it all–lengthens, thickens and defines like no other.  Basically, it makes my lashes look huge.  This is largely due to the full and thick applicator brush. I always buy it in Blackest Black.

MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter

Even when I’m supposed to arrive somewhere without makeup, I still sneak some of this concealer on to hide the dark circles. (They persist, no matter how much I sleep.) I particularly like this product for humid climates, like the aforementioned deserted island, as it stays put and doesn’t entrench itself in wrinkles. I also use it to lighten other spots, like the area around my nose.

stila Convertible Colour 

In my old(er) age, I’m all about the cream blush.  It gives a dewier and more youthful look than a powder blush, and with a bit of practice, it’s as easy to apply.  I like to use a brush to apply it but you can also use a make-up sponge or your fingers.  Try it in Peony, a warm pinky brown shade that works on many skin tones.  Added bonus: it doubles as a lip colour.

Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder

As many a cameraman has pointed out, my forehead is like a reflector beacon.  And while this may prove handy on a deserted island, who says I’d want to be rescued? This powder is extremely light and cuts the shine without feeling like you’re piling on any additional make-up.

MAC Lusterglass 

I’ve tried a zillion other glosses but I still keep coming back to MAC’s Lusterglass.  It’s inexpensive, not overly sticky and perhaps most importantly, the container doesn’t get all goopy. (Major pet peeve.) I have gone through about 10 tubes of Love Nectar, my favourite shade.   It’s a warm nude with a bit of gold shimmer that works well on its own or over a lipstick or lip pencil. 

 Thanks for the tips, Caitlin!

Sasha Plavsic: My background is in graphic design and I had worked in branding and packaging for major cosmetics companies like Urban Decay. I decided I wanted to do my own thing, and at the same time my mom was taking a more natural route in her life. I looked at her “all-natural” make-up and really did not like the colours that she had, nor the packaging.

AW: I know sometimes it seems like organic and make-up don’t go well together.

SP: Yes, and people always ask me “why don’t you have ‘organic’ on the box?” Or “why don’t you package it in bamboo?” But I felt like that’s what so many others are doing already to say organic.

If you can create a product that performs well, has a good colour selection, feels good, and can be as pure as possible, you shouldn’t have to say it’s organic. The right colour and the performance is what matters, and the ingredients for me are a bonus. I get to make and provide something that is a bit cleaner.

AW: Your products are in Barney’s and Net-A-Porter.com. How did you attract such big retailers?

SP: I saw a major hole in the market. I don’t want to put other brands down when I say this, but I feel like beauty can be kind of cheesy, with kind of cliche aspects to it, and I felt it needed some refinement. I would go to certain beauty stores and they would do my face up and they’d be like you need this foundation and this primer and these 10 brushes and I’d be like “what am I going to do with this?” So I wanted to provide something for women, like me, that is easy to use.

Plus I think it’s important to set yourself up in the right retail stores, and have respect for those retail stores by not selling to other stores that are half a block away from them. And we’ve had some great press, that really helped.

AW: What advice can you give people who might not have a lot of money but want to launch their own product?

SP: It’s a risk. But if you are the type of person that wants to start something, you need a certain mindset, and that mindset has to be GO. There isn’t going to be one wall, but 20 walls to bash through everyday. You need to keep going, and be strong enough to withstand that. Condition your mind to understand there will be problems that happen. And have the right people around you. And you really need to know your market; experience working in that market and with who you are going to be selling to.

AW: On a lighter note, any advice on how to choose the best colour lipstick?

SP: The best way to tell is to test the colour on the back of your finger. If you like the way it looks on the back of your finger, you will like the way it looks on your lips.

AW: Interesting.

SP: Yes, it’s more accurate than the back of your hand.

AW: Is there one colour that works for everyone?

SP: Warm blush tends to work well for a neutral look. Reds can be really tricky. I tend to veer on the warmer side of red because too much blue in red can make your teeth look a different colour. That being said, there have been some major requests for bluer reds so we will be going in that direction.

Arabian Knights (right) is a very berry shade.

AW: I love the berries.

SP: Yes, and you know what, it works really well on people who have blue eyes and blonde hair, and it also works really well on people who have dark hair, fair skin, or dark skin. So I’d say berries are actually easier than reds.

Its almost like two opposite ends of the spectrum. You can have something really light that can work on a lot of people, like Nobody’s Baby, or you can go to something like Arabian Knights that will also work on almost everyone.

To find Ilia products near you check out iliabeauty.com.

A selection of our favourites from ILIA Beauty
L-R: Femme Fatale lipstick, These Days lipstick, Cheek to Cheek multi-stick, Polka Dots & Moonbeams multi-stick

Thanks to our friends at Collage Collage, who let us drink tea and chat in their wonderful store!

Second, aside from the lofty product claim emblazoned across the front panel, packaging is clinical.

Third, on a later visit to the drug store, I noticed a small, 12-inch, black and white sign posted at the entrance: “Nanoblur sold here.” No logo, no flawless model handing out samples.

For something that was going to teleport me back to my early 30’s, the approach felt awfully low-key and almost covert. Weirdly, that made me want to believe in it. Where was the celebrity endorsement? The before and after shots with someone barely old enough to drive?

Nanoblur comes from a company called Indeed Labs, which appears to be a Canadian company (but if this product works, I would imagine a call from Estée or Lancôme might be around the corner). A descriptor on the company website says Nanoblur is not skincare, but rather “…high technology…a suspension of millions and millions of particles that reflect light perfectly in billions of directions to make the skin’s surface appear completely flawless. Within seconds, pores appear to disappear. Fine lines appear to vanish. The skin texture appears nearly perfect.”

We’ll just see about that. And by the way, particles of what exactly??

You can wear Nanoblur with make up or without. How to apply it depends on your skin type, but basically, if you’re not wearing it with makeup you can mix it (50/50) with moisturizer. If you’re wearing it with makeup, it depends on whether you use liquid foundation or powder. Apply Nanoblur after liquid foundation or before powder foundation.

I tried all the various possibilities and you can see the results in my before and after photos.

Bottom line:

Yes, I noticed an improvement in terms of pore size and overall evenness of skin. I did not notice a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. It seems to have something of an all over blurring effect, which makes sense since it was originally developed to help celebrities look better in high-definition’s sometimes harsh – and all too honest – effect. It’s like holding up a hazy lens in front of your face.

I definitely noticed a better result when combined with makeup. When at first I started applying it, my foundation just moved around and I started to panic, but I kept blending and eventually it worked.

Before (l) and After (r)

So do I look 10 years younger? You be the judge, but I think not.

The first time I used it, without telling my girlfriend Kara about my little experiment as we sat down for a cold glass of Chardonnay on a sunny deck, I said, “I haven’t seen you for awhile – do I look 10 years younger?” Her response? “No, but your makeup looks great.”

Alas, the search for that miracle in a bottle continues… 

Join the conversation

On 09 21, 2011 at 09:33:34 PM, Shayne L. said:

• General rule of thumb: use all make-up products within 3 years of manufacturing, regardless of how long they’ve been open.

• A recent trend in make-up towards natural and preservative-free products means many have expiry dates and much shorter shelf lives. Ask sales people about shelf life and make sure you’re ready to use the product up quickly.

Why Worry?

• Using old make-up (or badly stored make-up) exposes your eyes, lips, and skin to harmful bacteria, microorganisms, yeasts, fungi and viruses.

• For example, you can contract:

  • Eye infections from bacteria like staphylococcus include blepharitis (inflammation of the eye and eyelid), styes (a swollen bump at the base of the eyelashes), conjunctivitis (aka pink-eye, reddening and inflammation of the eye).

  • Skin infections like peri-oral dermatitis (little red bumps on the skin that look like acne).

• Bottom line: don’t share make-up, and pay attention to shelf life! (See below.)

Best Before:

• Here’s a list of typical make-up items and their shelf life:

  • Mascara and liquid eyeliner: 3- 6 months (though the FDA recommends 2-4 months)

  • Eyeliner and lip liner pencils: 3 years

  • Foundation, oil-free: 1 to 1.5 years

  • Foundation, creamy or compact: 1.5 to 2 years

  • Powder, pressed: 2 years

  • Powder, loose: 3 years

  • Concealer, liquid: 1 year

  • Concealer, stick: 1.5 years

  • Blush and eye shadow, powder: 2 years

  • Blush and eye shadow, cream: 1-1.5 years

  • Lipstick: 2 years

  • Lip gloss: 1.5 years

• IMPORTANT NOTE: These guidelines are only good if the make-up is stored correctly. (See “Prevention” section below)

Time to toss it:

• Even if your make-up hasn’t reached its expiry date or recommended best before usage time, it can still go bad. Use your eyes, nose, and common sense to determine whether you should use it.

• It’s time to toss when:

  • Mascara becomes thickened or dried out. This usually happens due to the pumping action of the brush, which allows air (and other potential baddies!) into the tube.

  • Foundation (oil-free) separates and dries out. It will also start to smell “off”.

  • Powder becomes crumbly and dried up, and no longer goes on smoothly. Pressed powder may also become slippery due to mixing with your skin’s natural oils.

  • Concealer sticks dry out and pull at your skin when you try to apply, rather than transferring its creamy colour.

  • Concealer liquids separate and become lumpy.

  • Powder blush and eye shadow colours fade or change. This happens due to oxidation (exposure to air) and also exposure to light. The texture may become drier, or slipperier due to mixing with the skin’s oils.

  • Cream blush and eye shadow, which contain emulsions, start to separate.

  • Eyeliner and lip liner become dry, cakey, and don’t go on smoothly anymore.

  • Lipstick changes colour and feels dry and scratchy. (Note: if tiny drops of moisture appear on the surface, don’t worry. Just wipe them off.)

Prevention is key:

• Even if your make-up is relatively new, it can still become contaminated if you don’t store it correctly. These guidelines can help you ensure you get the most out of your make-up:

  • Clean: always apply make-up with clean hands to a clean face. Keep applicators, lids, etc. from coming in contact with tables and counters. Use clean brushes, sponges, and applicator tools. Clean them with warm, soapy water and air dry, or replace completely, every week.

  • Keep dry: never add water, saliva, moisturizer, etc., as this will introduce bacteria, create a moist environment for bacteria growth, and also water down preservatives.

  • Keep cool: preservatives in make-up break down at high temperatures (e.g. 30C/85F or higher). Do not keep make-up in your car, and store it in a cool place at all times.

  • Beware of wands: mascara, liquid eyeliner, liquid concealer and some lip glosses are prone to contamination because the applicator is potentially exposed to bacteria and then reinserted into the liquid for storage, which is a prime breeding ground for bacteria.

  • Container properties: foundation and concealer in tubes, sticks or bottles with pumps only dispense a precise amount, whereas open pots or wide-mouthed bottles expose make-up to oxygen and potential bacteria.

  • Share not! Sharing increases contamination and can directly spread infection and viruses.

  • Sharpen often: regular sharpening of eye liner and lip liner pencils helps keep them free of bacteria.

  • Less is more: use only a few products at a time. (We know, it’s fun to experiment with lots of different things.) At least stick to one mascara only. The less you use, the sooner you’ll use them up before they expire, and the less risk of contaminating other products.

Irritated?

• If you have an eye infection or constantly itchy eyes (not hay fever-related), toss all eye make-up immediately and sanitize brushes thoroughly (or replace) so that you don’t re-infect yourself.

• If your skin reacts with bumps or itchiness, your blush, powder or foundation may be past its prime. If it’s new, however, you may instead be allergic to something in the product.

The Basics:

• Powder eye shadows can come in an endless array of finishes, but mainly they are made in shimmer (clear colour, with a medium-fine shimmer added), glitter or frost (lots of sparkle, colour may be slightly diluted), matte (no shine or glitter at all, straight colour), and satin (closer to matte, but with a very subtle hint of shine).

• Powder eye shadows come in two forms: pressed and loose. Pressed powders are the most popular; they are the shadows that are pressed down hard, to form a cohesive shape. Pressed powders are the most convenient, as they are mostly mess-free and easy to travel with. They can be applied with a wide range of applicators, including brushes, sponge-tip applicators, and your fingertips.

• Loose powder eye shadows are simply loose pigments, often stored in sifter jars. Powder eye shadows can lose pigment when they are pressed, so leaving them loose preserves that colour payoff, providing you with richer, more vivid colour. However, loose powders are very messy, and not at all convenient for travel. They must also be applied with a brush, something that is not necessary for pressed powders.

• Powder eye shadows also come in a wide range of price points. More expensive powders generally have more pigment, resulting in a stronger, fuller colour that will require you to use less when applying.

• Drugstore cosmetics brands are mostly inexpensive, but they often have far less in the way of selection.

• If you’re someone who is an eye shadow addict, you may like to consider some of the more high-end brands sold in department stores or beauty boutiques due to their vast array of colours and textures that you won’t find at your lo! cal drug store…but you should be prepared to pay up to 4 times more!

• If you are a more mature woman, you may want to avoid the shimmer or glitter textures, as these can exaggerate fine lines and wrinkles, sinking into them and making them look a lot more noticeable. A great matte eye shadow can’t be beat!

• Powder eye shadows can crease into fine lines on your eyelids over a period of a few hours – they may also begin to fade. If you want to extend the life of your powder shadows dramatically, consider investing in a silicone-based eye shadow primer, or, if you own one already, use a silicone-based concealer as a base for your eye shadow prior to applying.

Buying Tips:

• Before buying a powder eye shadow, swipe your finger across an available tester. Rub the powder between your fingers. Does it feel smooth? If it feels grainy, chunky (this usually happens as a result of glitter) or doesn’t spread evenly, don’t bother. Even inexpensive shadows should never feel chunky!

• It may sound strange, but smell the powder prior to purchasing. It should not have any strong odour, and if it does, I would not advise purchasing it.

• Examine the packaging. Is it flimsy? In terms of makeup, packaging is extremely important. Would it hold up to being thrown in your purse? Is it easy to access the shadow? Is there a lot of unnecessary packaging, serving to make it more difficult to use? You want functional, durable packaging – in this case, appearances can be deceiving!

• If you are looking to stock up on eye shadow, or wanting to try many from a single brand, investing in an eye shadow palette could save you money. While the price of a palette may appear to be steeper than buying singles at first, it is actually much more costly to continue buying single shades over time.

• Eye shadows should be used up or disposed of within a couple of years of purchasing. If an eye shadow is past its prime, it will be dry, crumbly, and will not have the smooth texture that it used to. The colour pigment will no longer be rich, and when you try to apply it, the colour will appear dull and chalky. It may also drag and crumble when you swipe it across your eyelid.

Being a makeup addict myself, I have a ton of powder eye shadows. Powder is my preferred formula of shadow, so with that in mind, I tested out a few of the ones in my collection, organized by finish.

• e.l.f. Cosmetics Everyday Essentials eye shadow ($1, shimmer)
• MAC eye shadow ($17, shimmer)
• Revlon Matte eye shadow ($8, matte)
• Urban Decay Matte eye shadow ($20, matte)
• Maybelline eye shadow ($7, satin)
• Clinique eye shadow ($18, satin)

My Results:

For the shimmer eye shadows, I preferred the texture of MAC, but the price point is definitely more than I’d like to spend. Thankfully, the e.l.f. eye shadow was actually quite nice as well! While I love my MAC, if it’s not in your budget, I definitely recommend e.l.f. Cosmetics.

When it came to the matte eye shadows, I strongly preferred the Urban Decay. It was simply smoother, richer, and I didn’t have to use a lot of it for the colour to be vibrant. The Revlon was a bit chalky, and the colour was dull and lackluster. I’ve run into this with matte shadows before – and unfortunately for my wallet, for matte finishes, the pricier options are almost always better!

Finally with the satin eye shadows, I actually preferred the inexpensive Maybelline. I found the Clinique shadow to be dry and crumbly, which should not happen to a fresh eye shadow! The colour payoff was quite poor as well, whereas Maybelline was mostly vivid and easy to apply.

When it comes to powder eye shadows, expensive isn’t always better. Technology in cosmetics has advanced so much in the past few decades, that it is often possible to find low-price powders that are almost as good as their high-end counterparts. Of course that expensive shadow will always have prettier packaging, and will always be more luxurious; in the end, however, it’s no longer necessary to splurge on these items to get great eye shadows that make you look and feel beautiful.