New Year's Eve Nail Beauty

It doesn’t matter if you’re going to a house party, a night club, a banquet hall or a bar you want to look your best on New Year’s Eve. You can count on the fact that hundreds of pictures will be taken and posted all over Facebook, that if you bought your dress at Le Chateau at least 1 or 2 other girls will have the same one and that almost everyone one will have some sort of sparkle, shimmer or sequin on.

It’s one of the only times of year where people will go all out and bust out the sparkly top or sequence blazer – the holidays are a reason for us to buy some piece of sequin/sparkle/shimmer for our wardrobe and wear it only once or twice. I myself own a sequined vest – it was worn once in late November of last year to my dear friends Lisa’s Birthday Party – but other than that my friend Shannon has had more use out of it then I have.

Not only are sparkle and sequin not wearable during all the seasons but they are not easy to pull off. When done correctly it can be an amazing piece of fashion art BUT when paired with a pair of light blue jeans and a red lace top – well how do I put this delicately…it ends up being trash!

With this being said…I say let’s save our money, save some people some embarrassment and save our already over pack closets from things we will only wear once – because let’s face it if you wore it last year around the holiday season you will not wear it this year…and if you do – well trust me even though you think we don’t remember it, we do – no one forgets these outfits, good or bad!

So what is the best way to incorporate some sparkle and shine into our New Year’s Outfit? NAIL POLISH!!! I know most of you love to have your red or black nails for NYE but hey why not step out of your shell and spice it up a little?! OPI has the best range of nail polish colours on the market. They have new lines coming out all the time and also always carry a wide range of classic colours. They have a metallic shades, shimmery shades and sparkly shades to cover any outfit for NYE! No matter how simple, classic or over the top your outfit for NYE is you can find a shade to pull your whole look together.

Here are some of my favourite OPI colours to spice up your NYE…

Lip Love

What girl doesn’t love lip gloss…I myself love, love, love it and have a collection of well over 50 to prove it. But out of all of the lip glosses I have there are only a few tried tested and true...


In no particular order…

The Gloss – C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint/Breath Freshener

Where to Buy – Bath & Body Works

Price - $7.50 or Buy 2 get one free

Details – Comes in a wide range of colours…Bare Mint, Pink Mint, Plum Mint, Violet Mint, Magenta Mint, Coral Mint and Ginger Mint. The formula is smooth and non-sticky with a great mint smell and taste that freshens your breath with every lick of the lips. These lip glosses provide the perfect amount of natural colour and work great over a lip stick.

My Favourite – Ginger Mint and Coral Mint

***New Organic Lip Tint Line now available***

The Gloss – NARS

Where to Buy – Holt Renfrew and Sephora
Price - $24.00
Details – NARS may be a little more expensive but its worth every penny! They have high shine and high pigments with a wide range of colours. The colours are either sheer, creamy or semi sheer. It has a wand applicator which I prefer to a brush and smells and tastes like good makeup should…like nothing but good makeup. They have so many great colours that are let’s say “out of the box” that you are sure to stand out. While you may not fill your makeup bag full of every colour I would say that having at least one in your perfect shade is within the budget.
My Favourite – Turkish Delight (one of their cult classics)
***Exclusive colour (which I can’t wait to try) is Bloodwork – perfect for the holiday season***

The Gloss - Victoria Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss

Where to Buy – Victoria Secret and La Senza

Price - $7.50

Details – With 21 shades in the Beauty Rush Lip Gloss line you’re covered no matter what your skin tone/colour preference. They taste and smell great, long lasting and they have that good sticky feel without being too sticky.

My Favourite – A Slice of Heaven and More Mimosa
***Can usually find these glosses for 2 for $12 or 5 for $20***

The Gloss - Philosophy Lip Shine

Where to Buy – Sephora

Price - $13.00

Details – The whole Philosophy line is amazing – it’s loved by celebrities as well as dermatologists (its eye cream has even made it onto Oprah’s Favourite Things). The best thing about this gloss is that it’s made with Sunflower Oil and Vitamin E so it smooth’s and hydrates your lips but also provides the perfect amount of colour.

My Favourite – Bubble Gum and Red Velvet Cake

***Bubble Gum is a limited edition gloss – it’s the perfect girly pink, get it while you can***

The Gloss – Kiehls #1 Balm

Where to Buy – Kiehls Stores (Queen Street, Yonge Street and Yorkdale)

Price - $12.00

Details – Made with Cotton Seed Oil this blam helps to hydrate and sooth lips and also protect against the harsh winds and cold of winter.It also contains Octinoxate which is a popular chemical sunscreen ingredient to help protect from the sun – making this balm perfect for all seasons. It comes in a range of flavours like Mango, Raspberry and Pear just to name a few and trust me they taste true to their fruit. Kiehls #1 Balm is their number one seller and was created in 1969 – anything that’s been around for that long has to be good!

My Favourite – Pear
***The unflavoured lip balm is the number one seller and is just as great as the flavoured ones***

XO MK

XO MK

Home Made Beauty

Christmas is just around the corner and I am broke and I am sure most of you can relate. So I figured what better time to share one of my money saving beauty tips wither everyone.


MK’s Homemade Highlighter

What you need…

Face cream – use your usual day cream. A day cream will work better then a night cream because its much lighter and usually water based.
Lose eye shadow dusts – I am sure you have an old eye shadow dust (or a whole tower of them) that you never finished or just don’t really use lying around. Colours - Light, medium or dark gold’s, coppers, bisques, peaches, light pinks and a shimmer white (any colour that is natural to skin).
Small empty pot/tub – maybe a lip gloss that’s pretty much finished, or an old eye shadow pot – if you don’t have one you can buy them at the dollar store.

Directions…

-Squeeze about a quarter of an ounce (give or take) of moisturizer into the pot/tub
-Slowly start to add in the loose eye shadow dust a bit at a time – don’t use your fingers as you will waste too much of the product, use a small spoon or even the end of a makeup brush. Start with the colour you want to be most dominant, I would suggest a medium gold.
-Add the other colours that you want (use less then you used for the base colour)
-Mix the colours and cream together with a small makeup brush – make sure all shadow partials are mixed well into the cream.
-Test the colour on your hand…and add more colours accordingly. If you have found the perfect colour but feel like the consistency is too runny/thin add some translucent face powder or a small amount of baby powder. If you feel like the consistency is too thick then add a small amount of cream and stir adding more if needed.
-Place the pot in the fridge for a few hours to set.

***Tip -The consistence should be the same as a cream eye shadow/blush or slightly thinner. Nothing thicker as it will cake on top of your foundation***

Where to apply…

Apply the highlighter using your fingers after you have applied all other makeup. Apply to the upper area of your cheek bones up around the outer eye area and color bone.

Highlighters can be worn in all seasons, with a full face of makeup or a clean face with minimal makeup.



Enjoy MK

Love Your Hair

You know the way your hair looks and feels after you leave the hairdresser – super shiny and smooth, and even if you buy the same shampoo and conditioner they used at the salon your hair still doesn’t look or feel the same. Well now your hair can look and feel like that all the time…One little bottle of Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum will have you loving your hair like you just stepped out of the salon. I have only been using this product for a few weeks but can honestly say that I will never be without it. I used it about 2 or 3 times a week (once or twice during the week and always once on the weekend). You can use it when letting your hair air dry or when styling as it has a non-greasy formula, you can even add one drop to the ends of your hair after its been dried/styles and it still won’t be greasy. I almost can't believe that I did my hair myself after using the Argan Oil - its so soft, sleek and shiny that I can't stop touching it.

To use warm up 3 – 5 drops in your hands and apply evenly to towel dried hair – concentrating on your ends. Brush through and either leave to air dry or style. What makes the product so great is not just that fact that it delivers the results it claims but it contains organic ingredients, is not tested on animals, has no artificially fragrances and is completely vegan and is recommended for all hair types. So no matter what your hair type or personal convictions this product is for you…and can be purchased at your local Sephora.

XOXO MK

Beauty on the inside - Do your part

I was shopping in Yorkdale this past weekend and went into the Body Shop to get my mom a hand butter and some scented oils for Christmas. When I went up to the cash the lady checking me out asked me all the usual upselling questions (wrapping, if I wanted a lip butter, etc…) and then mentioned their latest campaign… $5.00 for a reusable shopping bag that comes with 4 coupons - one for each week of December, the first a Mango Body Wash (full size) that you get right away. With all of the proceeds going towards the organizations they have partnered with for their Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People Campaign.


There is probably at least one person on your list that would want something from the body shop and if not I am sure there is something in there you wouldn't mind having for yourself. So get to your closest mall and pick up one of these bags, the bag itself is worth $5 and then you get 4 free gifts but the best part of this is that you are donating to a great cause.

Sex trafficking is the 3rd largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world and it’s something that is happening right here at home, in Canada and the United Sates. So stop in a store and do your part. Also please visit the Body Shop Website linked to this post to sign the petition.

XOXO MK

Attention Ladies - Its Called a Blending Brush...USE IT!!!

I know I probably judge other people’s makeup more than the average female, but I can’t help it…makeup is my passion and my job. I have a long long list of makeup pet peeves, I could go on forever about things I hate and things I don’t understand but recently one thing has been bugging more than anything else. Harsh eye shadow lines…you know what I mean…when you put your eye shadow on your lid and just above your crease and you just leave it – or you put a lighter colour on your brow bone, but that’s it. They just both sit there touching each other like bordering countries. Well I am here to tell you to STOP! That colour that is on your lid or in your crease should be blended so that it just fades into the other colour – this creates a polished look. I couldn’t even count the number of times have I seen a girl trying to achieve a smoky eye look yet there is nothing smoky about it – it’s just a big blob of black eye shadow that does nothing then make her look harsh and un kept. Now if that girl just took a blending brush and moved it back and forth in her crease instead, she would be able to achieve that smoky eye and look fab smizing the night away. Now I’m not saying that harsh lines are never ok…sure they have their place, like in print and fashion shoots, on runways and drag queens but where they don’t belong is restaurants, bars, nightclubs, house parties, bridal showers, the movies…almost anywhere in our day to day life.

You can find a decent blending brush anywhere makeup is sold, any brand that sells brushes sells a blending brush – my personal favourites are from Sephora and MAC. With Christmas around the corner do us all a favour and ask your mom, dad, sister, brother, boyfriend/husband, friend or even your work secret Santa – anyone really, to get you a blending brush.

For those of you already familiar with the art that is blending – keep up the good work ladies, you look amazing!

You will want to thank me, but you don’t have to – just seeing perfectly polished and applies eye shadow when I am out is all the thanks I need.

XOXO MK

As I get a little older...

As much as I HATE to admit this, I am getting older. If I could help it I would but I can’t. With age comes many good things but it also comes with bad things and the bad thing I speak of today is WRINKLES!!! I am lucky enough to still get asked for ID almost everywhere I go but if you look closely you will see some little lines forming around my under eyes. I use eye cream twice a day and serum but there is only so much you can do. For the most part you can’t see my little fine lines unless you are up close but of course I can see them all the time. I started to notice them more so about two months ago while I was away for a month in Europe. I had minimal skin care products with me, cleanser, eye cream and face cream…but no eye mask no face mask and no serum – not having these products that I normally use on a weekly basis, combined with the difference in their water had my skin feeling very dry, especially my under eye area. You could see my fine lines even more so then before. After about a week of being home I noticed my skin was returning to normal but in my mind the lines could not be erased and as they were so dominant before, I felt like it was all I could see and putting makeup on just made matters worse.

No matter how good a primer is it will never completely fill in the line/wrinkle – I knew I needed something targeted towards filling in fine lines. So when I was in Sephora picking up some staple items I had run out of I noticed that The Sephora Collection had some new products. As I started touching, smelling and testing I came across a cute little silver pot of Sephora Collection “Tricks of the Trade” Immediate Wrinkle Filler. I applied the tester to my knuckle and then applied some of their liquid foundation over top to see if it worked, which it did – so of course it went into my little basket of products to purchase. It took a few different techniques before I found the best way to use it…which is to first apply your eye and face cream and let it soak in completely, apply your usual face primer – then apply the wrinkly filler to any area you have fine lines, around the eyes, mouth, forehead, etc. Make sure to only use a small amount as a little goes a long way. Using your finger lightly and gently apply a small even amount to the area desired…let it sit for a few minutes then apply your foundation, corrector and concealer over top. When using it under your eyes you can also powder it before applying corrector/concealer – but I would only recommend this if you are using a good quality loose powder and corrector/concealer.

You will be amazed at how much this smooth’s your face out, it can literally take years off of your face if used correctly. One downfall it will not last a full work day (8 hours or more), by the end of the day you will see little creases but that is the case with most products. It has staying power for a few good hours so its great for special occasions or a night out with the girls. For mature skin you can use this all over your face as a primer to smooth out the entire face but I would make sure to use a liquid foundation or a tinted moisturizer over top, a cream foundation might cake up as this product is a little thicker then a usual primer. This product is a staple for any makeup artists, especially those who do bridal – and it’s defiantly now a staple in my personal makeup bag and should be for anyone else who feels insecure about their fine lines and wrinkles no matter how small or big.

XO MK

Sephora Buildable Concealer – My perfect concealer, at a perfect price!

I have always struggled with my dark circles for as long as I can remember. When I was a preteen I used to buy the Cover Girl cake sticks for my under eyes, as I became a teenager I graduated to Cover Girl liquid concealer and then on to whatever concealer I could find that I thought might work. After graduating Makeup School I was more educated on corrective colouring and different products and technique and I started to play around with differing products and ways of covering my dark circles. The trick is to use concealers with a peach/bisque colouring – this works because the red/orange tone of it covers the blue/purple colouring under the eye as the colours cancel each other out. For a few years I used the Bobbie Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque, I really loved this product for the most part but because I use eye cream I found that I had to wait for all the eye cream to completely soak in before I could apply the corrector or it wouldn’t blend well and wouldn’t stay on the skin. I still use this product for weddings and photo shoots as it’s has great coverage it just wasn’t for me personally. While attending the Makeup Show in Toronto I had one of the girls at Eve Pearl do my makeup and I really fell in love with their foundations and their Salmon Concealer, it comes in 3 colour variations a light, medium and dark variation of salmon. It really dose cancel out the dark circles but again it being a cream it didn’t have they staying power for someone like me (who loves eye cream). I also found that you have to be really careful not to put it anywhere but the dark bluish under eye area or the orange really stood out. 2 weeks ago I arrived back from a 3.5 week trip to Europe and my dark circles were worse then ever. I stopped into Sephora as I needed a primer and notices that Sephora had their own concealer out. I didn’t think twice about trying it as I usually love all the stuff and it was under $20! Let me just say that I was not disappointed. The Buildable Cover Concealer is a cream to powder formula that claims to cover everything from dark circles to blemishes and even tattoos (I am not sure about tattoos as I think you would need to use a lot of it and maybe a darker red/orange base underneath) but it worked wonders for under my eyes. It really made me look bright and fresh. By the time the work day had ended I needed a touch up but not very much and after reapplying over top of my full face of makeup I had worn all day it didn’t cake at all. I am pretty pale but still chose the medium colour as it was slightly more peach and I knew that it what I would need. Its light weight with great coverage, you can apply as many layers as you want and use it for touch up’s without it caking. I would say its defiantly worth trying out.

XOXO MK

“It will Change Your Life” Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette

On October 2nd 2010 I turned 27 years old and to celebrate this joyous (and also sad) occasion my dear friend Michelle (who loves makeup just as much as I do) got me the Urban Decay Naked Palette. We had been talking about it since it came out and were not impressed that it was sold out in every Sephora – and I mean every Sephora, I even checked 2 in Paris when I was there in September.

When I opened the gift bag I jumped up and down held it in the air and let out a nice loud YES! Michelle and my best friend April already had it (they had ordered them online) and all they had to say about it was simply “it will change your life”. That may seem a little extreme but the next day I discovered that it was almost an understatement. No more finishing around my makeup case to find that dark brown with a tint of red that goes with my champagne frost and my dark brown liner. Now I just pull the beauty that is the velvet palette out of my makeup case open it up and go to town. The Palette consists of a mini Eye Priming Potion, 12 shadows (5 of which are new) in all different neutrals ranging from lights, frosts, shimmers, mattes and darks with names like Virgin, Side Car and Gunmetal and double sided 24/7 eyeliner in Zero (black) and Whisky (brown). I own more palettes, quads, singles and towers then I could ever count and I haven’t touched another shadow since opening this. Even if your not the type of girl who likes to spend more the $5 on an eyeshadow with 12 shadows and a price of $44 (USD) that’s only $3.66 a shadow not to mention a bonus primer and liner and the fact that Urban Decay shadows are some of the best on the market – velvety smooth with tons of pigment.

No matter if you’re a girl who likes to wear smoky or dark and dramatic or a natural look this is the palette for you! Now you probably won’t be able to find it in stores but if you look hard enough I am sure you can find it on line. ENJOY!!!

XOXO MK

MK's Shopping Bag

Oh how I love shopping. To me there are very few things in life that are better then spending a day with your girlfriends shopping. MK’S Shopping Bag will become a regular post on my blog, reviewing the many different products I pick up on my many shopping excursions.

Today’s Shopping Bag Item is The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream – For all skin types.

This past Sunday while shopping at Yorkdale in Toronto my friend Michelle recommended this cream to me. We both have are fair freckled skin that can be slightly dry but Michelle’s sink always looks beautifully flawless. After smelling and trying out the tester I was immediately interested. Right now I don’t have a night cream as I haven’t been able to find one that I like enough to commit too. It was $18 and smelt Clean…it’s really the only word I think of to describe its smell, CLEAN! I have only used it for 2 nights and so far I am impressed. The Cocoa Butter, Glycerin and Vitamin E work together to naturally hydrate and nourish your skin while you sleep without leaving your skin feeling greasy. The cream is light weight to touch but very rich at the same time. Like the Body Shop’s Body Butters a little goes a long way. I almost can’t wait until my current cleanser, toner and day cream are finished so I can try out the whole line.

First Imperssions Mean Nothing...

If you’re like me you sometimes tend to buy based on the way a product looks…cool packaging, bright colors and a celebrity endorsement defiantly help influence your decision to buy something. A lot of the time these products don’t live up to your expectations but now you’re stuck with it.

5 years ago I bought a product called Rosebud Salve from a clothing store on Yonge Street in Toronto. It was in little blue and white tin, sitting in a box at the cash desk. I had never heard of it before and it didn’t look like anything “special” but I am a really bad impulse buyer so I added it to my purchase. Now when I first opened it I wasn’t that impressed, the tin was a little hard to open, the product itself was really soft, had no colour and a smell I couldn’t decide if I liked or not. I put a little on my lips and when on with my day. A few hours later when I got home I was in my room and realized that I still had the Rosebud on my lip…HOW?! I had eaten lunch, smoked, drank from a bottle of water, bit my nails and no doubt talked non stop all day. I called April and she agreed that this was a great gloss. I pulled it from my bag and started to inspect this little tin – I found that this is not in fact a lip gloss but an all purpose salve. Its good for chapped, cracked and dry skin, cuticles, diaper rash, abrasions…etc. I have used it for anything and everything and it always works, fast! This was something I bought as an impulse buy and wasn’t something I thought I would really like and now I use it every day. I keep one in my kit, my purse, my room and my desk. Not a day goes buy I don’t find something to use it for. If there is one thing you need to keep in your makeup bag and or purse this is it.

PRIMER, PRIMER and more PRIMER!!!

With this being my first official post I thought it would best to start off with one of my biggest obsessions - Primer, Primer and Primer!!! I can honestly say I have no idea how I ever lived without this stuff, how did I apply foundation, eye shadow and mascara without first priming?! I guess the application was the same but the results are very different. No more are the days where I look one way at the start of my day and another way at the end of my day. Finding a primer that is right for you can be a little overwhelming as there are so many out there some very expensive and some very affordable. I use a primer for my face, eyes and lashes - I also use all of these on clients. Below is a list of my all time favorites (for now)...

Sephora Collection, Smoothing Primer (Face) - This primer is recommended for combination to oily skin BUT I have dry/normal skin and I love it. It smoothes out your skin and leaves a completely matte finish. It makes you skin feel like actual velvet and really helps your foundation go on evenly and last all day. It works great with both liquid and Cream foundation. The bottle is small but trust me a little will go a long way.

Urban Decay Eye Priming Potion - 2 different types to choose from...Eden (matte/nude) and Sin (shimmering champagne). You only have to apply a little dot on the eye lid spread it around the whole lid and brow bone with your finger and let dry. Once your shadow is applied it will last all night...the only thing is, you have to be careful when applying your eye shadow. If you make a mistake it can be tricky to fix…its staying power is that good!

Lancôme CILS Booster XL (lashes) - I am sooooo not a girl who will wear fake lashes out for a night on the town. In my opinion fake lashes should be left for the Models and the Brides, BUT using a lash primer like Lancôme’s will lengthen and thicken your lashes before you even put on your favorite mascara (and without looking fake).






Some other brands that offer good primers are...
Face - Makeup Forever HD Primer, Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer and MAC Matte Primer.
Eyes - Faces Metaliglow (I use this for an eye primer and a "no makeup" look).

MK~