Two hair styles that really stand out for Fall 2009, are the super sleek Robert Palmer look or great waves. Both of these looks showed up on runways across all four capitals. After consulting with my “go to hair girl”,  she gave me a few fool proof tricks to recreate these of the moment styles.

Runway waves:

1. Start from the underneath and separate big sections.

2. Hold your curling iron horizontally and with a light hand if you’re trying to get a loose look. Hold the curling iron tighter for a more sculpted look.

3. Finish with a good dose of aerosol hairspray. Try Redken Forceful 23, it gives incredible hold without a stiff finish.

Sleek tres chic:

1. Starting with damp hair work gel in from roots to ends. Try Bumble and Bumble Bb Gel, it’s a modern take on a classic.

2. Using a fine tooth comb part hair and gather to the back, twist and pin.

3.  Apply a little more gel to the surface to get that immaculate shiny finish, and air dry.

Images from style.com

Good brows are essential to every face. For girls such as myself, the trick is to have brows that look naturally groomed and not painted on. Usually an eyeshadow and an angle brush can pretty much deliver a natural looking brow, but I do prefer the convenience of a pencil. The Lancome Powder Pencil is an ideal combination of a shadow and a pencil all in one. The texture is really smooth unlike many brow pencils that are so hard you can barely apply them without hurting yourself. It wears for hours without smudging, and instead of a rather dodgy angle brush attached to the other end, you get a brow comb that will soften the pencil so your brows look fantastic.

It is virtually impossible to recreate some of the looks we have shown on our blog without the right tools. I love brushes and as a make-up artist I own hundreds, but for most people a starter set of five will do quite nicely. One thing I will say about brushes is that they are worth the investment. While you can often get away with spending less on a lipstick or eyeshadow a cheap brush will not perform, or last as long as one you spend more money on.

Brushes can be natural or synthetic or a blend of both. The important thing is the shape and texture, soft brushes pick up and apply less product and are good for blending. Stiff brush pick up and apply more product these are good for powder and cream products.

From left to right:

1. Powder or Blush-a medium size dome shaped brush made of goat hair is the perfect size to double for powder or blush.

2. Tapered Eyeshadow-a soft haired paint brush shape is ideal for blending eyeshadow through the crease of the eye. Or dusting eyeshadow all over the eye for a subtle blended look. It’s also very good for blending away hard lines so your eyeshadow looks more diffused.

3. Flat Shader-This type of brush is good for powder or cream products. Most companies carry a small or large version, choose according to the size of your eyes. It can be used on the eyes to create intensity because of the shape and density of the hairs. For example to achieve strong colour on the eyes you would pick up the colour on the flat side and press it against the eyelid.

4. Angled Brush-This brush is a definite must have. It can be used with powder, cream, or liquid products to define eyebrows or for eyeliner. Make sure you examine the angle on the brush before buying. The hairs should be tight together along the angle and not too wide.

5. Foundation Brush-This flat brush is for applying liquid or cream foundation. Because it is quite dense it will pick up alot of product, if you are heavy handed use with caution. You can achieve a very flawless finish with this type of brush, and unlike a sponge it will not soak up the foundation.

For tips on how to care for your brushes go to September 9th post on How Often Should I Wash My Brushes?

Leona Lewis’ latest album cover is absolutely gorgeous. She couldn’t look more perfect — everything from the lips to the hair is enviable. We put together some products that we thought would recreate the look. Starting with the reddish glossy lip try Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick in Wine with Everything topped off with MAC Glimmerglass in Bling Black. The gloss is a translucent black with a gold shimmer that looks so beautiful on top of red. To get the wet look on the eyes MAC Gloss is going to deliver that glass like shine. However, don’t expect it to stay looking like the picture because it’s gloss and it will move and crease. For a more long lasting look try applying the gloss only under the brow as a highlight. Contour the cheekbones with MAC Taupe blush, because it has a cool undertone and it will resemble a shadow rather than a bronzed glowy look. Finally we recommend Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream to smooth down unruly locks.

Image from justjared.com

We say au revoir to the Spring shows as Paris concludes a whirl wind month of fashion. Paris surpassed all expectations this season the inspiration behind each make up look was so intriguing. McQueen was just insane, the models faces looked like prosthetics, and I can’t even imagine how long it took to braid the hair. The skin at Chayalan was so ethereal and beautiful, and then the surprises really came with LV and those massive afros and what looked like pizza oven burns on the girls faces, and Dior with the lavender eyes and ruby red lips was simply adorable. No two runways are the same in Paris, this city sets the trends for the whole fashion world.

Images from style.com

As Fashion month comes to an end we thought we’d look back at some of the best dressed celebs that sat front row. If we were to give an award for most innovative outfits, hair and make up it would have to go to Rhianna. She might as well have been on the runway because she represented each show she went to so impeccably. This season saw an influx of young hollywood attending the shows and not just in New York, where Lauren Conrad was seen at 3.1 Philip Lim. With the exception of MK Olsen, who with her sister can always be spotted front row in Paris. Leighton Meester was at Louis Vuitton, Jessica Stroup at Vivienne Westwood, and Rachel Bilson at Ferragamo. Victoria Beckham looked perfectly posh at Burberry London compared to the fresh new face of the brand Emma Watson. For the rest of us we’re going to have to wait until next year to get our hands on the Spring trends, and rewind back to AW 09.

Images from justjared.com and style.com

When it comes to cosmetics I love my prestige brands-Dior, Chanel, YSL, and then the make-up artist brands MAC, NARS, Make Up Forever. But every once in awhile I’ll come across something, for a fraction of the price of the other brands, that meets my high standards. Currently the above four products are in my make up bag.

Rosebud Salve is a no brainer everyone knows this is one of the best on the market it’s been around for over a century. It smells and feels fantastic. Not to mention it’s multi purpose features, soothes burns, moisturizers dry skin anywhere on the body, and looks great on the lips.

I just tried the Revlon Colourstay Liquid Liner Pen recently. What I like the best about it is that it really does stay on. The smudge proof claim is for real. The felt tip pen makes for really easy and precise application. I just had to give it a shake to keep the product flowing during application. Honestly, I have to do that with my MAC one which costs three times the price.

L’oreal Lash Explosion I picked up in London because it’s not available in Canada right now. The hype around the spiky ball shaped applicator pulled me in. The shape of the applicator gives you easier access to those short inner lashes, it also separates and fans the lashes out quite nicely.

Joe Fresh Lip Gloss which is of course Canadian, and available at Real Canadian Superstore is probably my favourite budget buy. I love the clear dual vial packaging which makes it look more expensive, and I love that there is no frost or sparkle in it. Just a creamy glossy look, which I feel is the most modern fashion forward way to wear gloss. And the smooth non sticky feel is ever so comfortable. The colours are really straight forward and have very clean undertones.

You can buy all four of those and it will only set you back about $40-now that’s credit crunch pricing.

The most common misconception when it comes to contouring the face is where on the face to shade and highlight.  Most people think that you need to draw a diagonal line from your ear to the corner of your lip. The reason people think this way is because when we look at ourselves straight on, the cheekbone appears to be on a diagonal. We get the illusion of a diagonal line because we’re 3 dimensional. The best way to figure out placement is to feel for your cheekbone with your fingers. You will see that it actually runs across the face, and then turn to the side to see yourself in profile.

Before you get started you will need the following things:

1. A dark colour for shading in either a cream or powder, and it should be two to three shades darker than your skin tone but in the same undertone. If you choose to use powder it should be matte.

2. A light colour for highlighting in either a cream or powder. The colour can be considerably  lighter than your skin depending on how much you want it to show. The highlighter can be matte or shimmer depending on the effect you want to achieve.

3. An angled or medium sized blush brush. Using a angled blush brush makes shading much easier as the angle of the brush will fit perfectly under the cheekbone.

Here’s our simple step by step guide to create prominent cheekbones:

1. Using the angled part of the brush and your darkest colour, sweep under the cheekbone starting close to the ear and finishing with the brush leaving your face.(#1 in above image) Repeat until you get desired intensity.

2. Dust off the dark colour on a tissue before picking up the highlight colour.

3. Apply the highlight colour to the top of the cheekbone by gently tapping or brushing. (#2 in above image)

Anywhere you shade with a darker colour will recede and what you highlight will be brought forward. Remember to do both to beautifully contour your cheeks.

I have been wearing Stella McCartney ever since it came out years ago. I’ve been through two bottles of the original, one bottle of the sheer version, and I still have a few of the roll on travel vials which are so convenient. So of course I have to try the recently launched Nude. Like the original Nude is a floral scent. A few of the notes are Moroccan Rose, Grapefruit, and White Peony. I like the vanilla which adds a little bit of sweetness. I don’t mind that they kept the bottle shape the same since the colour is different it seems modern and new.

I first met Alla Kostromicheva this season in London at Christopher Kane. I did her make up again the next day at Jonathan Saunders, I thought to myself I like this girl she’s down to earth, easy to chat with and most importantly has striking features. She’s walked a ton of runways for Spring 2010 from Alexander Wang in New York to Balenciaga just yesterday in Paris. Alla’s pictures in the latest issue of 10 magazine are nothing short of amazing-she is for sure my model of the moment.

Images from style.com and models.com

The International Collections next stop after London is Milan. Italy never disappoints. You are guaranteed to get smoking hot girls storming down the runway. The exact ingredients for such a look are simple: flawless skin, precisely groomed brows, sultry eyes, and plump lips. All the major Italian fashion houses seemed to cook up this concoction of make up, though the end results varied the theme was the same… STUNNING. Milan ended on Tuesday, it’s time to say bonjour to Paris.

Images from style.com

Every girl wants long, thick, luscious lashes. But like me, many women are have short straight eye lashes and have trouble keeping them curled. If you’re not born with long lashes, here are 3 different tips that can make your eyes really pop:

1. Use a good eyelash curler. I love my Shiseido Eyelash curler and have used it for years. Shu Uemura also makes a good one. To make the lashes look natural, curl lashes in three steps, starting from the roots and working outward. Then finish with waterproof mascara. If you don’t use waterproof mascara your lashes will start to droop and loose the curl so this is a must! And don’t forget that you must use an oil based cleanser to take the waterproof mascara off.

2. Get an eyelash perm. This is a great option if you have long straight lashes. The perm is fairly inexpensive and can last from 1 to 2 months. Then you can use whatever mascara you like. My sister has these and it looks fantastic.

3. Eyelash extensions. Me and every other Hollywood celebrity is obsessed with eyelash extensions. And once you’ve had them they can be very addictive because they make your eyes really pop but in a natural way unlike strip lashes. Eyelash extensions are glued on lash by lash onto each one of your natural lashes. The extensions also falls out with your natural lashes. The price isn’t the cheapest, but I think it is worth every penny. You can get a full set from $80 to upwards of $200, but the fill is usually about half the price and should be done every 3-4 weeks. If you have straight lashes make sure you request a curlier lash like a C curl or a Super Curl, not a J curl which will make your lashes stick straight out instead of up.

Image from justjared.com

The return of the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator was much anticipated. This product was well loved before when it originally launched over a year ago. Now it’s even better than last time, packaged in a convenient squeezable tube rather than a messy jar. What makes this such a star product is the volcanic ash and sugar crystals that scrub away any dry or rough skin anywhere on the face or body. Actual volcanic ash has a high sulphur content which is known to resist and even prevent bacteria, which means healthy looking skin. The Thermal Mask is also formulated with volcanic ash, and like the exfoliator it’s very thick and jet black in colour. They don’t call it thermal for nothing. As soon as I applied it to my wet face I could feel the heat! Having left it on for about 3 minutes I rinsed it off, and the results were immediate-super soft smooth skin. Like all good things that don’t last, these products are both limited edition so hurry and pick them up.

Sleeping in your makeup is never a good idea no matter how tired you are. The quickest way to get a fresh face is with a makeup wipe, not to be confused with a baby wipe. The best wipes are alcohol free, and are made of soft yet durable fabric that can gently remove any trace of eye and face makeup. There are lots available and we especially like the ones by MAC and Boots NO.7 brand. For those of you who prefer a cleanser/make up remover, Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula is fantastic. The benefits of using an oil based cleanser is that it will very quickly break down even the most tenacious water proof or long wearing make up — leaving behind makeup free, incredibly soft skin. A common misconception is that an oil based cleanser is not good for oily skin, but oil removes oil leaving a shine free complexion.

Chris Nicholls is a fantastic fashion photographer that works out of Toronto and New York. No doubt you have seen his photos in Elle, Flare, and Fashion. He was also a featured photographer on an episode of this past season’s Canada’s Next Top Model. His lighting is amazing and always makes the model’s skin look so luminescent. How beautiful!

This is the question that plagues so many women. If your skin is dry this is definitely less of a problem but if you have oily skin then your make up has a tendency to slide. Make sure you start with a good base for your makeup to stick to. My favorite primer is the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Creme products can also help your makeup go a lot further. Try the YSL water proof cream shadow, the Stila convertible colour for your cheeks and of course some oil absorbing papers to get rid of any extra oiliness and shine.

As NY fashion week comes to a close we couldn’t help but notice a few trends emerging. Super natural lips, healthy tan skin, full brows, and burnished browns all over the eyes. I’m ready to throw out all my bright colours, that is until the end of this week when London starts.

Images from style.com

The 2009 VMA’s turned out to be more about the drama than the music. But Alicia Keys performance with Jay-Z was fantastic, my favourite of the night, how can you go wrong singing Empire State of Mind I love it! She killed her verse and as if we didn’t know why her last name is Keys-that piano playing was amazing. All that and she looked great too. Get Alicia’s lash look with these Shu Uemura Smoky Layers Lash. To add shimmer and brighten up the inner corner of the eye MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Family Silver. To achieve the rosy lip use  Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine in RD185.

Image from justjared.com

The fashion, the make-up and Chuck Bass are the main reasons why we all tuned into watch the season premier of gossip girl. Leighton’s dark eyes were rock star appropriate last night at the 2009 VMA’s. While Blake’s soft make up compliments her fair skin and blonde hair to perfection. Stay tuned for more style and scandal…

This is so delicious I absolutely love it! I fully admit to being addicted to body products: hand creams, shower gels, moisturizers I have to have a selection on hand at all times. I usually go for sweet smelling things so when I tried this Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Creme in French Vanilla, I realized I’d just found la crème de la crème. Besides the rich Tahitian and Bourbon vanilla scent, it feels fantastic on the skin. Shea butter, vitamins A, C, and E, as well as sweet almond oil and honey really drench your skin in moisture without a greasy feel.