Beauty Favorites: Benefit Cosmetics

~ happy #makeupmonday beauties and welcome back to our beauty favorites series! we hope you are all enjoying your long weekend! its been a nice, quiet, family-filled one for us. today we're sharing our beauty favorites from Benefit Cosmetics. Benefit has been a brand favorite of ours since we were first introduced to it in our younger beauty junkie years. cute packaging, adorably named and most importantly, products that work beautifully. you'll find Benefit in every bloggers, every IT-girl, every makeup artists makeup bag. the products work flawlessly on different mediums, whether for everyday or for photoshoots. if we're honest, we'd share the entire line with you all, that how much we love it! we've selected a few of our current favorites, ones we're using at the moment and ones that are perfect for summer weather also! 

~ Gimme Brow is a quick way to get your #browgamestrong. a gel-like fiber that adheres to the brow, making them appear fuller with just a swipe of product. the best part is that it's long-lasting and waterproof! perfect for beach days!

~ Fake Up is an ultra-hydrating, crease-proof concealer perfect for hiding the dark circles of last nights shenanigans. the easy-to-use twist up makes its a great on-the-go addition to your makeup kit!

~ Stay Don't Stray is a long-wearing primer for concealer and eyeshadows which makes it a must have for hot summer days! a small dab on your lid and under your eyes and your shadows and concealers won't budge!

~ Roller Lash makes curling your lashes fool-proof. with its "Hook'n'Roll" brush feature, even the straightest of lashes experience lift and curl for a gorgeously sexy wide-eyed look!

~ Bad Gal has been a favorite for a long, long time. we're all about volume and drama for our nights out and this mascara doesn't disappoint. we love to combine it with our other mascara favorites for seriously insane looking lashes

~ POREfessional is a pore-minimizing primer that helps smooth out the skin texture before application of concealer, foundation or tinted moisturizer. a small dab before makeup application or a little touch here or there to mattify skin during the day. the best part is how translucent it is!

~ Posie Tint is a poppy-colored cheek & lip tint that is long wearing with just the right pop of color perfect for spring and summer. we love how so little product can provide such a gorgeous color to our cheeks!

~ HOOLA has always been a favorite bronzer of ours. its matte with no sparkles allowing it to look so natural but most importantly, it has no orange undertone to it causing it to look fake {which is THE worst when it comes to bronzer}. and since we're advocate of healthy sun, its the best way to fake a gorgeous looking tan!

~ as we said, we could go on and on and on but we hope you enjoy the few selects we've chosen. you can pick up your #benefitfavorites at any Sephora or Shopper's Drug Mark Beauty Boutiques ~

xoxo

Beauty Favorites: Maybelline

~ its Makeup Monday and we're starting a new series of beauty favorites, sharing our most loved products used on ourselves and in our kits from our favorites brands. first up: Maybelline. #bornwithit has always been a recognizable slogan. the no frills and gimmicks makeup line has maintained it's success throughout the years by being affordable and appealing on a variety of trends, whether fresh off the runway {Maybelline sponsors Toronto Fashion Week} or simply by carrying products that help maintain a flawless looking face. with celebrity makeup artist Grace Lee at the helm, showcasing the adaptability of Maybelline products, the brand has comes become a staple in makeup bags and kits everywhere ~

~ Baby Lips has long been a favorite of makeup artists and models alike, with an array of styles  {dr.rescue, crystal, electro} and shades to give just a hint of color while providing a balm like texture with ingredients such as honey and shea butter. grab your favorite Baby Lips style at your local Shoppers Drug Mart or London Drugs 

~ Color Sensational Lip Color is THE lip product when you want bold color with a full shine! the pure pigment in this statement lip product along with the moisturizing power of honey nectar, lanolin and castor oil make it a favorite when looking to make an elegant lip statement

~ with matte lips being such an in demand texture both on  and off the runway, these Bold Matte Color Sensational lipsticks are perfect when you want bold color with a no slip, long wearing finish.  with 20 shades to choose from and 3 essential oils {honey, sesame seed oil and kaolin} blended in with pure pigments you're sure to find the perfect color

~ next up is 24hr Color Tattoo Cream Gel Shadow, an absolute staple in many artists kit for their long wearing texture both as a shadow and as a base for shadow.  this line comes in several textures now, such as 24 HR Color Tattoo Leather Shadow {a matte finish} 24HR Color Tattoo Metal {a metallic or frost texture} and a variety of gorgeous shades. wear them alone as shadow for a natural but long wearing look, or under shadow as a base to intensify color and or shine! 

~ Fit Me! Concealer {and the entire Fit Me! line of products} has had such success since it's launch due in part to it's variety of shades {6, most drugstore brands have less} and realistic undertones.  this concealer contains no oils or waxes, and with it's liquid texture it's lightweight and gives a natural matte finish.  check out the other much loved and awarded Fit Me! products in the line: Fit Me! Foundation, Fit Me! Pressed Powder, Fit Me! Blush and Fit Me! Bronzer 

~ even if you don't currently own any Maybelline products {we hope that changes after this post!}, chances are you started out with one of their cult mascaras. Colossal Volume Mascara in Black is one of our absolute favorites for full, thick lashes! delivering 9x the volume of their regular mascara (with collagen formula) it will take those tiny lashes to the extreme.  we recommend at least 2-3 coats per eye to start volumizing, but you can coat your lashes until you get your desired result. this formula comes in washable, waterproof and 3 different shades but we will always recommend the classic black!

~ Great Lash Mascara is THE cult classic mascara {40 years of popularity don't lie} and the first one most beginning makeup artists check out.  this mascara is a great choice for natural looking lashes and now comes in several different brush styles as well as waterproof

~ Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is one of those amazing products that can give you the results of a more expensive one {think Benefit Porefessional, Clinique Pore Minimizer}, and we LOVE that. beloved for it's skin smoothing, pore erasing and oil absorbing results, dab a small amount anywhere you want to control oil or erase pores. we also love it around the outside of the lip line if your lipstick has a tendency to bleed into any fine lines

~ that rounds up our Maybelline Favorites for #MakeupMonday! stay tuned for next week's brand favorite must haves, and stay fabulous
xoxo

Sephora VIB ROUGE {Beauty Selects}

~ sephora had their annual VIB ROUGE discount offer over the past week and Tarah and I, being the beauty junkies we are, obviously couldn't hold back from picking up some new goodies. we usually use this as an opportunity to either replenish on our favorites or try out some newer products. since we're going into the warmer spring weather and summer, we definitely chose some beauty favorites that will suit our sunshine loving needs.
 we've linked everything for your viewing pleasure and will be reviewing some of our goodies later this week.
there's still time for you to do some last minute shopping as VIB ROUGE ends tonight at midnight! be sure to use the ROUGELOVE code when checking out!

Bumble & Bumble Surf Infusion 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Tarte TarteGuard Sunscreen

Bite Beauty Watercolors Lip Gloss Library

Stila Convertible Color Cheek Palette {currently out of stock at sephora ~ linked to Stila's site}

Hourglass Ambient Bronzer

Boscia Masking Medley

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Tocca Beauty Liliana

Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant

what beauty goodies did you guys select? let us know in the comment section!!

xoxo

Beauty Favorites: {Drug Store Favorites}

~ there's something to be said for being a savvy beauty junkie. it doesn't always mean having the most expensive products in your makeup kit. Rather, it means knowing what products are investment pieces and which ones you can save on.

~ being makeup artists, we go through A LOT of product. there are certain make up items that we are always replenishing and sometimes it just doesn't make sense spending so much on items that you go through so quickly and frequently. we practice this philosophy with our personal make up kits also. absolutely there are items that we will spending some of our hard-earned money on and feel no remorse or guilt whatsoever {we're looking at you Tom Ford lipsticks} but there are some things we just can't bring ourselves to spend all those dolla bills on for the following reasons:
1. we don't use them too often {like foundation ~ Oz is a tinted moisturizer kinda girl} 2. the lifetime of the product just isn't worth it {most mascaras because we go thru them so fast} 3. trendy items {certain shades of lipsticks or eyeliners are only popular for so long, no sense in spending so much money if they're only being used a few times} and lastly, 4. tried, tested and true {these products are just as good as their luxury counterparts!}

~ we've chosen 6 of our favorite drug store products that we think you'll love just as much, starting off with Oz's selects.
we would love to hear your favorites also in the comment section!!

1. Maybelline Baby Lips ~ i probably have 10 of these in all my coats and purses. they're so hydrating and impart a hint of color that can actually be used in lieu of lipstick or gloss. as an added bonus, they visibly renew the texture of your lips leaving behind super soft lips

2. Cover Girl Full Lash Bloom ~ mascara is something i thru a lot! i'm a minimalist when it comes to my every day makeup routine
3. L'Oreal Infalliable Gel Lacquer Liner 24 Hour ~ this gel liner is amazing. ah-may-zing. it glides on super smooth without tugging at your skin, the brush gives you a lot of control with flexibility {for those winged eyeliner days} and it stays. like on. for a very long time. it is also a favorite of many a celebrity make up artists
4. L'Oreal True Match Concealer ~ i don't know about you but i like my makeup application to be quick and foolproof but have me looking beauteous. this easy to use concealer that blends in seamlessly with color match perfection is a great on-the-go product to have for quick, cell-phone camera touch ups
5. Eco Tools Brushes ~ i'll be honest with you, i like fancy brushes. they bring me lots of joy when i use them on myself and my clients. i came across these brushes by accident: i went to a makeup gig not realizing that i had misplaced my brushes in a different kit {fortunately it was a friend and i got there super early and we were close to London Drugs}. while i could have easily done a full makeup with my hands and fingers {fashion makeup artist yo!} i do hold myself to a level of professional decorum. my salvation: eco tools brushes. they are really nice. really nice. and trust a makeup artist when they tell you if brushes are the bomb.com or not. these beauties are now my mainstay personal brushes
6. Revlon Colorstay Foundation ~ if and when i wear foundation {very rarely if ever} i like a foundation that works with my combination skin, gives me a decent amount of coverage, but most importantly, stays on my face. fortunately, this one does all of that and doesn't make me feel like my skin is caked on with makeup {yes, i am a makeup artist who doesn't like to wear foundation. we do exist}

Tarah's selects are coming up and she's a glam girl so be sure to check back soon!

xoxo

Top 10 Beauty Favorites: {2014}

~ 2014 has been quite a year, with ups and down {as to be expected} but a trail of glittery things has made for an overall pleasant year. i made too many visits to sephora {VIB Red yo!} and was fortunate to have a lot of support sent my way from various beauty lines {perks of being a makeup artist/beauty blogger/beauty editor}. i put together 10 of beauty favorites from 2014. i tried a lot of new products things year, from hair to skin and beauty. the biggest change for me was trying out bolder lip colors. that was a step and i'm glad i took it. i also developed a mild obsession with roller balls {they're so perfect-sized for all my handbags and clutches} and upped my skin care game {post coming soon}. i hope your year was full of pretty things and that 2015 is just as beautiful ~

1. NARS Laguna Bronzer
2. NARS Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
3. Benefit Fake Up in Shade 2
4. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black
5. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiore
6. Essie Nail Polish in Head Mistress
7. Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana Roller Ball
8. NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette
9. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette
10. Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep

xoxo

Oz

{Makeup Bag Diaries}: Ghazal Elhaei from Style Chord

~ it's makeup monday again lovelies and today's { Makeup Bag Diaries} is from local Stylist and Creative Consultant Ghazal Elhaei. Ghazal will be launching a new blog in the new year called Style Chord {www.stylechord.com}. be sure to check it out and follow along with Ghazal's daily happening on instagram ~

~ Ghazal's beauty favorites lie on two ends of the spectrum: bare faced or full glam. One exception to her rule though is her eyebrows. A big fan of Anastasia Brow Stencils, Ghazal's brows are her pride and joy or as she says, "I have an unhealthy obsession with them and the majority of my beauty kit is focused on having the right tools to maintain them".

~ Her day-to-day routine consists of a little moisturizer, a little filling in of the brows and a touch of lipstick. When she does hit up her make-up bag, it usually means she's attending an event. Because she's always on the go, she stuffs her makeup bag to the brim with all her beauty favorites and must haves. That way, no matter where or when, she can glam herself up in a jiffy. check out below for all her beauty favorites ~

~ click the links below for some of Ghazal's beauty favorites and heed this advice:

"Don't be afraid to try new things! I have yet to master the winged liner and contouring had always seemed like climbing everest - but over time I have learned that trial and error goes a long way. My favourite way of switching up my beauty routine is through lipstick. The brighter (or darker) the tone, the better. Plus, there's no way you can mess up lipstick application right?"

• Lancome Make-Up Bag
• MAKE UP FOR EVER Lipstick #32
• MAC Lipstick Neon Orange
• MAC Lipstick Amplified
• MAC Lipstick Twig
• MAC Lipstick Cyber
• MAC Lipstick Lady Danger
• MAC Lipstick Rebel 
• MAC Lipstick
• La Biosthetique Lipstick C 137
• YSL Lipstick 
• Tarte Lip Scrub
• Shu Umera Eyelash Curler
• Urban Decay NAKED2 Eyeshadow Palette
• Mac Prep + Prime Skin Base
• MAC Matchmaster Foundation
• Inglot Bronzer
• Mac Brow Set Gel
• Olay {Dew Over} Moisturizer
• MAC Petal Power Blush
• MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Spiked
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Classic Stencils
• MAC Brun Satin Eyeshadow
• MAC Blacktrack Liquid Liner
• MAC Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash Mascara
• MAC Brush 134
• MAC Brush 266
• MAC Brush 109

xoxo