Like I touched on in my “So you want to be a beauty editor…” post, people often assume that beauty editors have the same skills as actual makeup artists. SO not true. Even though I’ve written a zillion articles about smoky eyes or liquid liner, and I definitely know more than your average girl on the street, for the most part I’m still learning and refining my makeup techniques like everybody else. (This entire site is my journey, folks.)
However. There is one area I actually do consider myself quite proficient at, and that is the art of camouflage. Probably you got the hint seeing as I’ve posted about this incessantly. (I’m not joking: I’ve talked about the most common foundation mistakes, why I love HD powders, my favourite foundations, whether you need to re-think how you’re using concealer, and how I have a concealer wardrobe.) Skin is really, REALLY important.
And let’s face it: nobody cares about your artful liquid liner application if you’ve got a flaming red spot stealing all the attention. Or a cold sore, or dark circles. So from me to you, here’s your guide to hiding all the bad so people can focus on the good. Keep reading »
Do you go through beauty phases? I TOTALLY do. There was that time in 2006 when I became obsessed with winged eyeliner and wore it day in, day out… my coral lipstick moment of 2010… and now, lately, I’ve been pretty much all about a bare face. (Although I know I said I was brushing up on this, and I WILL.)
Anyway, mostly it’s because there’s just been so much going on lately (I know, I repeat myself) that I haven’t had the time for my usual beauty experimentation. I was probably influenced by these ladies too. But if I’m being brutally honest, I was also just plain ready for a nice palette cleanse. You know, after trying to replicate the Fashion Week eyeshadow-to-the-brows, and juicy red lips, and borderline-chunky mascara. Sometimes it’s cooler to dial it all back and not try so hard. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
Still, everyone knows that a natural look done right takes as much (sometimes more) effort than when you make one feature the focus. So come have a peek at what goes into mine… Keep reading »
I’ve always been anti-foundation and pro-concealer. For the most part, I didn’t like the way foundations smelled, the way they could smear off on your clothes and (most importantly) how they just looked so obviously THERE on your skin. Concealers, on the other hand, I couldn’t live without. (I do have a concealer wardrobe, after all.) Subtle, stealthy, they did their job but only where you needed them.
So this was my makeup philosophy: If you could get away with JUST applying concealer, and skipping the icky foundation, it was ideal. In fact I believe I’ve written that sentiment on this very website right here.
But now I have some breaking news. I might have changed my mind on all of this. And that’s thanks to a recent sesh (during TIFF) with Lynne Ryan, the lead makeup artist for So You Think You Can Dance Canada and national makeup artist for Murale. In a nutshell, here is the paradigm shift. (I’m going to bold it so you really pay attention.) Whereas I once believed that the right concealer would allow you to skip foundation… now, I’m of the mind that the right foundation will allow you to skip concealer. Come and let me explain my Aha! Moment. Keep reading »
