Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Right Angle

In case you missed it up on Lilogi's website here's the fashion editorial from last week's Geo-Graphic Inspired Week!

The model Kristy has an edgy look to her so I want to keep that edginess and do something very simple but striking.  I did that by doing a large graphic eyeliner design...so "IN" right now ;)...boy does that take some patience and a steady hand.  I've def. come a long way on the Cat Eye winged liner (literally use to be my achilles heel lol).  I also wanted to keep her the hair simple but still striking and I wanted it to sort of have a sharp feel to it if that makes sense.  I also LOVED that for once the model didn't have long hair...don't get me wrong I love long hair and it does give so many possibilities but I feel for this theme the bob Kristy had worked so well!

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen
Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers
Manicure Ashley Readings
Model Kristy (Elmer Olsen)









Make sure to check out this week's Sugar High on Lilogi...I didn't do the Hair & Makeup but it's still very cool don't worry ;)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Canada's Best Beauty Talent - My Entry

So some of you may or may not be familiar w/ the reality TV casting call that went out across Canada looking for the Best Beauty Talent - Makeup Artists and Hairstylists.  Basically, to enter you have to submit a little bio, some pics of your work and a video audition tape.  From this they will choose 6 Makeup Artists and 6 Hairstylists to compete to be named Canada's Best Beauty Talent!

I hemmed and hawed over whether to enter for a couple of wks...just wasn't really sure if it was my thing or I was up for it...or maybe I was a little too scared to be up for it.  Finally, I decided to take the plunge and enter...I figured what do I have to lose!...and in truth the chances of me actually getting picked are probably very slim...I mean who knows what these ppl ever look for in the castings.  I'm not really crazy or eccentric after all...but I do think I'm talented and real...and I do have an opinion and I'm not afraid to share it lol.

So w/ the help of my very good friend and fellow MUA Ashley Readings (who also made an entry video), I made a little video one day...thank you a million times to her b/c my skills are seriously limited and it would have ended up this poorly lit little video where I probably would have looked like shit lol!  This is also why I've probably never ventured into YouTube instructional videos before lol.

So the deadline for applications is tonight and they'll be deciding the finalists in the beg. of March.  Here's my video in all its glory...hope I'm not making too much of a full of myself lol.  For some of you this might be the first time you've heard my voice...I don't know might be kind of weird lol.

Enjoy!


Again thank you so much Ashley...couldn't have done it w/out you!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Full Spectrum - Video Editorial

Here's the video editorial from Prints/Patterns Week at Lilogi a couple of weeks ago!  I just LOVE this video so much it's so upbeat and makes me want to dance around my living room...I just wish it was longer lol!  Check out the white girl fro in motion lol!

Videographer Renee Rodenkirchen
Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers
Hair Assistant Ashley Readings
Model Lauren (Elmer Olsen)


Btw just did a shoot w/ the Lilogi team on Thurs and it will be live in 2 wks...the location is SICK!  I CAN'T WAIT to see the pics and video from it!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Winter Skin Care - Olehenriksen & NEOCUTIS

About a month and a half ago I was contacted to try out and review some skincare products that are perfect for the cold harsh weather Winter (usually) brings upon us...this one has been quite mild but still our skin still takes a beating day to day being outside in the wind and cold weather.

I was really just expecting a couple of samples to come in the mail for me to try out so boy was I surprised when I received a lovely box w/ 5 FULL SIZE Olehenriksen & NEOCUTIS products to try out!  It was like Christmas after Christmas lol!


So what did I get you ask?

Olehenriksen Products

Black Currant Perfecting Complexion Oil

It's infused w/ lemon, sage, cypress and tea tree oil and it helps create an extra shield against of protection against the elements thanks to key ingredients like Blackcurrant oil and Apricot kernel oil.  It also boosts skins metabolic activity and repairs damage thanks to Vitamin E, Cypress and Lemon.

I'm not going to lie as someone w/ acne prone skin I was a littler nervous to try something w/ the word "Oil" in the name on my skin at first but you know what it really works.  I haven't been using it on my entire face just spots were I tend to get a lot of dryness and it has definitely diminished the dryness.  Esp. on the top of my nose...I get a lot of peeling there for some reason and this oil has definitely reduced that.  I also had a point in Jan. (which I'll talk about later in the blog post) where my skin was VERY dry and sensitive along my jawline.  I used the oil on my jawline and it didn't create any additional breakouts and didn't irritate the area which was already pretty sensitive.  Also I should mention it in now way made my skin greasier or left any sort of oily film on the skin after it was absorbed.  It's a small bottle but really you only need a couple of drops so a little does go a long way!

Herbal Day Creme Spf 15

A moisturizing day creme w/ spf 15 for normal/combination skin.  Key ingredients include: Chamomile Extract to sooth, renew and soften the skin, Soybean Extract and Grape Seed Oil to nourish the skin w/ essential fatty acids, Vitamin A & E to heal and renew w/ antioxidants and Lemongrass Essential Oil which helps purify and uplift the skin.


This was a nice moisturizer.  It did blend into the skin well and I didn't find it too overly rich or heavy so it's a good choice for normal/combination skin.  It has spf 15 which is SUPER important to me b/c I pretty much won't wear a moisturizer unless it has some form of SPF in it.

One thing I should mention is that all the products I tested from Olehenriksen do have somewhat strong fragrances to them from the essential oils I'm assuming.  I actually quite liked the smell of the products but if you're someone that is sensitive to such things this is definitely something to keep in mind b/c you might not like them.

Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask

This is a gel mask that hydrates w/ sodium hyaluronate and lavender to quench dry and sensitive skin.  Blue/Blackberry Extract renews skin cells and smoothes and refines texture.  Vitamin B5 hydrates and nourishes. Papaya Enzyme renews skin and removes dead skin cells and Hyaluronic Acids seal in skin's moisture.


The mask definitely does moisturize and nourish the skin and it did leave my skin feeling soft afterward.  You're suppose to use it twice a wk for about 15 mins each time.  My only complaint about this product is that it is a bit of a pain to get off afterward.  It does have a gel like consistency so you really do have to scrub or exfoliate your face a bit to get it off and not leave a "film" on afterward...I don't think just using your reg. facial wash would do it.  Other than that it was a nice mask and really good for the Winter months.  It's good for all skin types which is nice too!

Neocutis Products


At first when I was looking at the products I received from Neocutis I was wondering how I was going to really effectively review them b/c they seemed to be best used on post procedure skin (although they can be used anytime).  It just seemed like they were both strongly marketing themselves as great post procedure skin products...by procedure I'm assuming any sort of facial skin procedures - peels, laser treatments, botox etc.

Then I had a VERY bad skin reaction to face treatment I was doing on myself (not using any of the products mentioned here today) and it left my skin burnt, red, very dry and very irritated all along my jawline and around my mouth (this is where I've been breaking out lately...aww the joys of hormonal acne :( ).  Basically, it kind of looked like I had a red, burnt skin beard...I know VERY attractive lol!  Thankfully, I'm a makeup artist and I could cover this up w/ makeup...pretty well.

The problem was after it initially happens my skin was so raw and sore I couldn't put any skin creams on it w/out it stinging and hurting...and then it came to me!  Well bright side this would be the PERFECT time to try my Neocutis skin care products since they are specially formulated for post procedure skin...and this is basically I like unintentionally gave myself a skin peel lol.

HYALIS Refining Serum

It promises to deliver immediate moisture for youthful, radiant skin.  It's formulated w/ the highest concentration of pharmaceutical grade 1% Sodium Hyaluronate for purity and efficiency (just realized same ingredient as the Blue/Black Berry Mask).  It helps sooth and hydrate stressed, irritates skin and it helps smooth and plump skin to minimize the signs of aging.  Ideal for people using drying dermatological treatments for acne, rosacea or retinoid treatments. 


I will definitely concur w/ all of the above on this one.  It's great for all skin types which is nice but it was esp. gentle but effective on my burnt, red, sore skin.  Literally, I couldn't put any products on it w/out it stinging but I was able to put this serum on it and it did sooth and moisturize the area very effectively.  I also felt it helped almost create a barrier between my skin and other products so that after I used this and the other Neocutis Cream (I'll talk about next) I was able to put makeup on and it wasn't burning or stinging my skin.

NEOCUTIS Bio-Restorative Skin Cream

The first and original skin cream formulated w/ PSP the most complete blend of Human Growth Factors, Cytokines and Interleukins available to help improve appearance of aged skin and soothe skin.  For aging it helps improve texture and fine lines/wrinkles of skin and it also improves firmness and radiance.  It also helps promote recovery for post procedural skin.  Like the Refining Serum it is great for people using dermatological treatments for acne, rosacea or retinoid treatments.  It's best for Normal to Dry Skin Types.


Like the Serum I really liked this product.  Again it was very soft and soothing on my sensitive skin.  It's a nice consistency, not overly thick or rich which a lot of times is the case w/ skin creams meant for dry skin skin.  But it still did enrich and moisturize my skin leaving it feeling smoother and softer after I used it.  My only issue is that it doesn't have SPF and as I mentioned before it is a big thing for me when choosing a moisturizer.

So hopefully, if you're experiencing some harsh Winter skin or just overall sensitivity or dryness maybe look into these products and find something new to try!  I hope you like them as much as I did!




Friday, February 17, 2012

Last Wedding of Last Year!

I officially had my last wedding of last year on Dec 23rd and it was a completely last minute booking too!  We're talking so last minute I had to change my train times to go back to Windsor for xmas just a couple of days before the trip!  But in the end I'm so glad it all worked out and I got the chance to work w/ Kerry b/c she was such a wonderful and beautiful bride!

Originally, Kerry was going to have a family member that is also a professional makeup artist do her makeup (I don't know about hair) but unfortunately this person had to cancel right before the wedding which of course left poor Kerry in quite the bind.  Thankfully (for the both of us ;) ) she found me and I was able to do a trial w/ her mere days before the wedding!

Right away it we hit it off well and I knew it was going to be a great bride/makeup artist match!  Kerry wanted something very soft and natural w/ a bit of a winged liner.  Originally, she wanted to do a red lip which did look stunning on her but in the end opted for the more neutral soft pink as she didn't want to leave red all over the soon to be husband...I can understand that lol.

For the hair she wanted an updo...nothing too fancy or severe.  The most important thing was to get some volume through the top...which I'll admit came w/ it's own struggles b/c she did have some shorter layers to contend w/ but in the end I think it all worked out!

One of my FAV things about Kerry's wedding was her dress!  I've seen a lot of dresses this past year and I think this has to be in my top 5 for the year!  I just love it!  This vintage type brides just hunt me out I guess lol...I don't mind...I mean if you didn't notice before I kind of love the style myself!

All the photographs are courtesy of Jessica Blaine Smith (yes another Jessica AND she has 3 names like some other VERY TALENTED & AWESOME ppl you know ;) )

Last Min Touch Ups...and I actually have a nice manicure in this one lol!


What a CUTE couple!

Love, Love, Love This Dress!...and the shoes ;)


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Full Spectrum

Last week was Pattern Play Week at Lilogi featuring gorgeous clothes from Thakoon's Sping/Summer 2012 Resort Wear Collection and boy was it FUN to work on!  Even though my wardrobe mostly consists of black, navy, grey and some dark purple I'll be honest I LOVE colour...esp. in the Summer when even I've been known to wear a bright orange or pink dress every now and again lol.

I also loved the energy the clothes brought to the set...really just livened and lightened everything up.  Sometimes fashion really can take itself too seriously after all.  I also got to really play around w/ the Makeup and Hair on this one!

I got to create an AWESOME white girl fro!  I've done it before but I think this is the best it's ever looked...I think in part it had to do w/ the fact that Lauren (the model) didn't have SUPER long hair like a lot of models so it really did create a dome sort of fro when I pulled it back in a headband.  I have to give a big shout out to my "assistant" although I'd never actually think of her that way Ashley Readings who helped me "set" Lauren's hair in a million hairpins to create the fro.  Basically you have to weave the hair in a figure eight around large hair pins and then seal the shape by holding the sectioned pieces in a straightener for about 15-20 secs each, let cool and then when you take it out and brush it FRO CENTRAL!

For the Makeup again I wanted to keep it really bright and playful like the clothes.  I did a really simple sweep of intense teal shadow across the lid and a bit of a shimmery teal on the highlight very lightly.  Did both upper and lower lashes (wanted it to almost have a doll feel).  A pop of fuchsia on the lips and a nice pink on the cheeks and we were done!

Lauren did such a great job too of bringing the energy and playfulness that the clothes needed!  The only thing I felt slightly bad about was after the shoot I found out she actually had to go to work (Roots) immediately after...fro and all.  She tried to slick it down and pull it back a bit...:S

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen
Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers
Hair Assistant Ashley Readings
Model Lauren (Elmer Olsen)












Sunday, February 12, 2012

American Essentials Pics

You may remember back in Dec. I did a Look Book shoot for a great men's loungewear clothing line called American Essentials.  I shared some hot behind the scenes pics I took featuring B&M model Jerald.  It was a really fun and easy going shoot w/ a great team that I hope to work w/ again soon!

The photographer William Suarez recently shared w/ me some of the pics from the shoot so of course I wanted to share a couple w/ you b/c I think they are a good example of good commercial men's work.  I've mentioned before I really don't like to put too much makeup on men in general.  Just clean them up and this shoot illustrates that idea perfectly...esp. w/ the bed head type hair they wanted for the day.







Friday, February 10, 2012

VEET Pink Carpet Event - Get Glam!

Sometimes I really do have one of the most Fun jobs EVER!  Last night I got to work this great event at the new Trump Towers in Toronto held by VEET to launch their new and amazing product - Easy Wax - Electrical Roll-On Kit.  It promises the same great results as the salon but you can do it at home...review to come later b/c guess what in the AWESOME gift bag they let me take I got a Full Easy Wax Kit and a Refill Cartridge!

Originally, I was just going to go to this event as a guest but then b/c of my past collaborations w/ Veet on this blog I was approached to work the Beauty Bar where I helped Glam ladies up for the event!  It was so much fun and I got to meet so many fun and talented ladies that night like fellow blogger Elaine Atkins of Toronto Beauty Reviews which I have been following for a long time now!  In fact I went up to her right in the beginning of the night and was like "I know you" lol...I don't put as many pics of myself up on this blog apparently so I required an introduction lol!

Elaine and I (Elaine hope you don't mind I borrowed this from Twitter lol)

Also I did Casie Stewart's makeup (huge Toronto Social Media Guru) before she headed over to Hideout for Love A Heart Auction where she was one of the beautiful ladies up on the auction block that night!  I actually had a couple of friends and fellow bloggers who were being auctioned off that night too - Christine Estima and Regina Sy.  Hope all the ladies were sold for tons of money...it's all for a good cause after all ;)  I esp. hope my awesome makeup skills raised Casie's auction price by at least a couple of dollars lol.

So not only did I get to meet a ton of great women last night but I have to say Veet and Maverick Pr (the ppl behind the event) did an AMAZING JOB!  This thing was glitz and glam to the max!  Had a very old hollywood mixed w/ tons of pink feel!  As soon as the ladies walked in they had their pics taken by photographers and I think they even got to take little books of the pics home w/ them (not sure on this one as I was working lol).

Once they walked into the  main room it was done right let me tell you!  All pink and glitzy!  There was a full bar making tons of yummy yummy drink concoctions...I did have a few at the end of the night I'll admit it ;).  Plus they had the Beauty Bar area where the ladies could sit down, relax and get their hair and makeup touched up.  Also they had the most amazing little dessert bar set up w/ all sorts of yummy things...all done in pink of course ;)...I also sampled some of these things and they were so good too!  Throughout the night there were waiters walking around w/ all sorts of yummy apps and hor d'oeuvres!

Yummy Desserts!

Before the Event Started

Plus they had a Marilyn impersonator that did a great show...sorry I couldn't get any pics I was busy working then and they even had Canadian Musician and Juno winner Lights perform...pretty big deal indeed!

So as you can see this was definitely not an event to be missed! Sorry I don't have more pics but I was busy working and all lol! So glad I got to be a part of it - really was so much fun!  Review to come soon on the New Easy Wax Electrical Roll-On Kit!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Another Beautiful Winter Bride

Lately, a lot of my brides have been really wonderful about sharing pics from their wedding days w/ me which I really LOVE!  Great to see my work in action throughout the day/night!  And I have to say some of these Winter Wedding Brides have been some of my FAVS of the season!  So great for my website!

Back in early Dec. I had the pleasure of working w/ Lori and her wonderful wedding party including her Maid of Honour sister.  Really great group and the pics ended up looking fantastic which made me all the  more happy b/c there were some challenges that day!

One of the biggest issues was we were getting ready at the Fairmont Royal York...beautiful hotel but anyone in Toronto knows this place is under construction.  That meant that literally ALL the windows in the hotel suite were blocked off!!!  No natural light AT ALL!  Plus it was like 7 am so we couldn't get any daylight in the rooms whatsoever even if the windows weren't blocked off b/c it was still dark out...not to mention that hotel rooms are notorious for having very very dim lighting...let's be real they weren't designed for makeup application after all ;)

The next biggest challenge was Lori's sister was actually very very ill that morning.  I have no idea what happened or what she came down w/ but she was sick!  I felt so bad for her...she was going between sweats and chills and there were multiple times where I had to stop what I was doing so she could actually go get sick...umm not the most ideal situation when doing Makeup & Hair lol.  But she actually looks great in the pics and the hair really lasted even through the trips to the bathroom!  Score one for me!  She did have amazing hair though...that kind where it curls and just stays...very full and thick...just awesome!

So after all that I was so happy to see the pics and see how beautifully they turned out.  The photographer did a great job at capturing the day and some really beautiful moments!  I want to say a special thanks to Candace French-Goodman for assisting me that day and helping out w/ the other two bridesmaid's hair.

So here's some of the pics - ENJOY!

Final Touch Ups...I think these are actually some Great "Behind the Scenes" Pics...for me at least ;)  Btw Lori is also wearing additional Clip-in Extensions in her hair that I applied and styled.

Sister and Maid of Honour - Last Min Hair Touch Ups



Such a simple but beautiful dress...Love It!

All the Girls!




Love these next few b/c they are at the reception that night...Hair & Makeup still look AMAZING!  Curls held up GREAT!


You'd never know she was sick she looks Amazing!  So Happy!