Beauty products I can’t go without – with some useful tips!

Myriam Richard

I’m jumping right in…

#1 – The MASCARA

Mascaras give eyes that beautiful spark and instant awakening to your face even if it is the only thing you do to it. There’s no education there. The right mascara is one thing, however the application plays a very important role in the final results. Here are my favorites of the hour and a few tips.

BAG gal lash by Benefit ($26) : Winning feature? The BIG & BODACIOUS brush for full, long, very voluminous lashes. 100% false lash glam.
Hypnose by Lancôme ($31) : Winning feature? Intensely black and needs few strokes for very clean, defined lashes. Flutter away…
Sumptuous Extreme by Estée Lauder ($28,50): Winning feature? The mousse texture is lightweight enough to wrap the barely-there lashes, and truly make your stare, an eye-catcher. (and it has vitamin B5 for conditioning!)

TIP: Though it’s not written on the packaging your mascara’s life expectancy is about 3 months. To keep it fresh the longest, avoid thrusting the brush back and forth in the container to remove the excess on it as it will create air bubbles inside and accelerate the “decaying” process. But instead slightly screw out the brush and do a slow stirring motion going up until the brush is completely out. “Put the tip of your (clean) index finger on the opening while applying the mascara, to avoid more air going in” also adds Gerardine, our own Organik D’va, whose also a professional make-up artist. To know if your mascara needs to go bye bye, use your smell to tell. If it’s foul, then it’s OUT!

#2 – The CONCEALER

To conceal or not to conceal? That used to be my question. But after discovering Quebec’s very own Portfolio professional correctors by  Lise Watier… no need to look further. As I have a darker complexion, and tending to be darker or lighter in certain areas, one tint of concealer just never really did the trick until I stumbled on this baby. It is a 5-tint palette concealer case to which each tint has its purpose such as to neutralize redness, hide blemishes. However depending on your complexion, you can pretty much play around with it by mixing them to your desired need. The one I use is for darker skin (sold on the web only – $30), but it also comes in beige for (medium complexion) and the standard palette for general skin-tone imperfections.

TIP: When applying liquid concealer, let it sit on applied area for a few seconds to thicken it will adhere better and prevent you from over applying and avoid the caky appearance.

Concealer’s general life span: 12-18 months.

#3 – The BLUSH

Another face picker-upper – adding blush to ones cheeks is the gateway to that post-run-rush-of-blood-in-the-face healthy-looking skin glow we all love. I sure do! The one I’m currently using is not an actual blush per say, but a bronzing powder, namely Guerlain’s Terracotta Bronzing Powder which is long-lasting, thus perfect for me as I do not like reapplying makeup in the day, besides gloss/lipbalm. As it is a bronzer, it already has that glowing subtle shimmer that adds brightness and freshness to one’s face. And can I point out the container? It spells out CHIC!
Blush & powder’s lifespan: 18 months

TIPS: Don’t over do it. No clowns allowed! You can puck your lips and apply the blush as a contour style to bring forward your own cheeks (works well for lighter complexion, with darker brownish pinks) or a big smile to puff out

#4 – The LIP BALM/LIP GLOSS

My favorite lip balm so far is the Twist & Pout lip moisturizer SPF 20 (thanks to Angelica of Très Chic Styling who introduced me to them and where you can purchase them too!). A small sphere packed with all-you-need lip protection – oil, butters, UVA/UVB shields. It comes in so many cover styles that is sure to match your personality and wardrobe. Smooth to the touch, your puckers will automatically soften and always be kiss-ready !

My favorite lip gloss is another from Guerlain, and again in their Terracotta collection – the Terracotta Moisturizing Sun Shimmer Gloss. They apply very smoothly on the lips and are very long lasting. Very. Which is perfect for me, as I mentioned earlier, I am not one to reapply gloss 20 times a day. It comes in six beautiful natural lip shades, for about $30 a gloss. With these, your investment will go a long way.

Lip gloss life span: 18 months (but keeps these for that long, really?)

Last but not least…

#5 – The EYELINER

It’s been talked on the blog already via Gerardine, and let me tell you, I am addicted to Lise Watier’s 24 hrs Glam Eyeliner ($21) of their Equinoxe collection. Intensily pigmented, it runs on liquidy-but-thickly smooth on your lid in a precise line, when well applied. I had never been a fan of Lise Watier’s line for I did not see it catering to darker complexions. Truthfully, I just didn’t look well enough. They do, and Gerardine will tell you all about it soon! I am now in their #1 fans. And it’s local – what’s not to love?

Eyeliner  life span: 18 months

Remember that make up should not be used as a cover up, but merely to bring forward the beauty you already have! Well there you have it, my makeup bag story! What’s yours? What beauty products never leave your bag nowadays?

Live. Laugh. Love. Make up!!

M

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