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

Oscars 2015 {Best Beauty Looks}

~ how perfect for makeup monday that we share our favorite beauty looks from last night's Academy Awards. as typical to any red carpet, the Oscars bring out {normally} the best beauty looks of the red carpet season. this year did not disappoint. we loved seeing the different ways celebrity makeup artists glammed up their clients. our favorite looks were a combination of the ladies who dared to go bold with their lip colors such as Emma Stone {by Rachel Goodwin}, Naomi Watts {by Pati Dubroff}, Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Behati Prinsloo. we also loved seeing the soft, princess pink looks worn by Jennifer Lopez {by Mary Phillips}, Jessica Chastain {by Kristoffer Buckle}, Anna Kendrick and Reese Witherspoon {by Molly Stern}. these ladies won the beauty red carpet in our opinions and we're will absolutely be using these looks as inspiration for bridal season! ~

Bridal Beauty : Jenny Packham Trunk Show {Bisou Bridal x SxBD Girls}

~ bridal season is upon us and we're so fortunate to be able to beautify some gorgeous brides during the season. we teamed up with Bisou Bridal, your destination for stunning luxury bridal gowns in Vancouver, BC to put together two beauty looks for their upcoming Jenny Packham Trunk Show  February 6-8th. we did a Fresh Glow and a Dramatic Glamour, covering two of the more common requests for bridal makeup. both looks pair well with any of the stunning gowns Jenny Packham exquisitely designs. be sure to check out Bisou's blog for details on these two looks and more bridal beauty collaborations coming soon~

Makeup Monday: Firma Beauty Luxury Makeup Brushes

We at Style by Beauty Department pride ourselves on supporting our local Vancouver businesses, that's why when we were introduced to the new, local brand Firma Beauty we were so excited to share with you!

In an industry that pumps out new brands and products on the daily, tempting you with pretty packaging, celebrity endorsements or free giveaways. This can (sometimes) distract you from less than stellar product performance, that's where Firma Makeup Brushes differ from the rest.

As makeup artists, we have a particular standard when it comes to our tools.  A makeup brush needs to stand the test of time, be luxuriously soft to the touch and no shedding ( by far the most complained about trait by consumers). Firma Brushes are hand crafted in Kumano, Japan a city with 200 years of brush making tradition.  These craftsmen and women take such pride in their craftsmanship that they hand cut and place each individual hair used in all Firma Brushes, using only the highest quality and softest fibers.  The handle of each brush is perfectly weighted for balance, and even the brands packaging strives for Eco-sustainability by using recycled materials for all of their packaging and donating 2% of each sale to your choice of 3 non-profit charities.

The luxury aspect of these brushes is reflected in their price, however the brand offers free shipping on orders over $50 as well as a much sought after, hand crafted product that will stand the test of time.   Now let's get to the brushes!

Firma Beauty offers 11 brushes in their Signature Collection for a well rounded assortment but a few standout from the pack.  Our favorite brushes are more uniquely shaped for multipurpose use:
 
S102:  this oval shaped powder brush is great for applying powder products to smaller areas of the face such as around the eyes and nose.
S202:  this synthetic brush can be used for liquid, cream or powder products but in our opinion works best as a highlight and contour brush. The short, densely packed bristles allow for maximum control when deciding how much to blend and we haven't seen a brush on the market like it.
S303:  tightline/smudge brush can be used for cream/powder application along the eye line. A favorite shape among professionals for smoking out dark colors along the lash line.

The brand also carries a travel friendly line as well, the 8 piece Voyage Series is vegan friendly as all the fibers are synthetic.  Each brush can be used in liquid, cream or powder mediums, giving you a multitude of options when using each brush. 

So if you're tired of brushes that shed, handles that loose their color, or fibers that feel sharp or coarse on the face, check out a local Vancouver brand that prides themselves on bringing quality makeup brushes to the masses. http://firmabeauty.myshopify.com/

{Party Makeup}: New Year's Eve

~ no party outfit is complete without hair and makeup. you could have the prettiest and sparkliest of dresses but if your hair and makeup isn't on point, the outfit doesn't work. luckily for us, we had the assistance and makeup styling of Jasmine Hoffman for our The EveryGirl feature. Jasmine's put together her Top 5 products to achieve a perfect NYE party look ~

 {from top left}

Shu Uemura Painting Liner in Black ~ perfect for a stay all night through dancing winged liner or a perfect addition to your smokey eyes for smudge proof eyemakeup

Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara ~ full volume, flirty lashes that are smudge-proof are an absolute must for any makeup look

Noir Lash Lounge False Lashes in Faux in Love ~ flirty the night away in glamorous falsies

Laura Mercier Translucent Powder ~ soft to touch and lightweight but it'll keep your makeup looking glam all night long

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze ~ perfect for glowing, shimmery skin as you ring into the new year!

xoxo
follow Jasmine on instgram for more of her makeup styling

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

12 Days of {Giveaways}: Day 1

~ It's the most wonderful time of the year and we want to share our love of beauty|style|pretty things with you all with 12 days of giveaways! entering is easy and you can submit 3 entries per giveaway. 1-follow us on Instagram @stylexbeautydept 2-follow us on Twitter @SBDgirls and 3- Follow us on Pinterest @sbdgirls. be sure to let the randomizer below each image know where you've entered! we will then randomly select a winner of each giveaway and notify you via either twitter or instagram. good luck to everyone and thank you for being so amazing and helping us grow our blog to what we envision it to be!~

xoxo Oz & Tarah

 ~first giveaway: Erno Lazlo Hand Cream x Deborah Lippman Nail Polish x Bauble Bar Gold Bracelet~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{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

 

{Makeup Bag Diaries}: Bria Lear from Digital Darlings

~ it's makeup monday again and today we are showcasing local digital darling Bria Lear. Bria is the head #girlboss at Digital Darlings Creative. i met Bria when i enrolled in a photoshop class with her. it was the best class i've taken that has helped this blog slowly become what we envision it becoming. i didn't realize the importance of content and the visual aspect of it until i learned what Bria taught. she has photoshop boot camp class over a two day period and also does group/one-on-one sessions. even if you think you know a little bit about photoshop, what Bria teaches is so amazing that you'll spend hours putting together collages and posts, even GIF's! luckily for us, Bria opened up her makeup bag and shared her beauty favorites. follow Bria on instagram and be sure to check out her website ~

Bria loves to play with makeup but emphasizes the importance of flawless skin. She says, "finding the right products for my break-out prone skin has been a struggle, but I've finally found some that work for me!". A non-greasy/shiny moisturizer is essential for Bria and her favorite is the Queen of the Hive's Manuka Honey and Bee Vecome Face Contour Cream from Wedderspoon Organics.

Her everyday beauty routine is a natural look: great skin, mascara and flushed cheeks. Bria says, "I want people to see ME, not my makeup". *we love that philosophy!* Check out her favorite products and links below!

One of her must haves: Almay Intense I-color Volumizing Mascara, she says, "It's AH-MAYZING. My lashes look ten times longer!"

NYX "Dream Catcher" eyeshadow palette
Estee Lauder Double Wear Light foundation in 01
Queen of the Hive Manuka Honey & Bee Venom face cream
Almay Intense I-color volumizing mascara (for green eyes)
Almay Intense i-color eye-shadow trio (for green eyes)
Mineral Fusion sheer moisture lip tint in twinkle
Lise Watier Feline Eyeliner HD
Queen of the Hive Manuka Honey lip balm
Bombay Brow Bar eyebrow shadow in 11-cool brown
Josie Maran coconut water cheek gelee
Annabelle BIG SHOW lip shine in "Beam"
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser {for dark circles} *treatment concealer with goji berry!


xoxo

French Girl Beauty

~ bonjour beauties. it's makeup monday and who better to teach us about makeup and hair than french girls? i can across this article on vogue.com and needed to share it with you all. i subscribe to a very similar beauty philosophy for my own everyday beauty: minimalism at its finest with an emphasis on looking like the best version of myself by accentuating, not covering up. i've linked a few of my favorites products to achieve my everyday beauty look. give the article and read and share your everyday beauty essentials with us!

Style x Beauty Dept

YSL Touché Eclat
Nars Blush in Nico
Nars Eyeshadow in Abyssinia
Make Up For Ever Smokey Extravagant Mascara
Nars Larger than Life Eyeliner
MAC Ruby Woo
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
Bumble and Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme



xoxo
Oz

{Makeup Bag Diaries}: Leah Elliston from SmudgeStyle

~ we're back for another {Makeup Bag Diaries} with local fashion, beauty blogger and makeup artist extraordinaire Leah Elliston from SmudgeStyle. i work with Leah, teaching at Blanche Macdonald and the lady is always put together, looking oh so lovely. Leah carries her everyday beauty essentials in a bright yellow Michael Kors makeup bag {no longer available, similar with beauty products here} and the beauty goodies inside are what luxury beauty product dreams are made from. check out her everyday beauty favorites down below and be sure to follow Leah at: www.smudgestyle.com and instagram: @smudgestyle

MAC blot powder in medium dark
MAKE UP FOR EVER kabuki brush {similar}
 Tom Ford lipstick in ginger
YSL rouge pur couture #1
YSL rouge volupte #9
 Giorgio Armani lip maestro 202
Maybelline master kajal in onxy rush
Province apothecary lip balm
Elizabeth Arden 8 hour Cream Skin Protectant

Leah's beauty advice:

"I always have a few bright lipsticks with me because a pop of colour on the lips is the quickest way to glam up your face"

{Makeup Bag Diaries} : Aleesha Harris from Covet and Acquire

~its makeup monday and we are happy to share with you local style and beauty blogger Aleesha Harris's makeup favorites. Aleesha's day-to-day look is usually centered around a light eye, strong brow and bold lip {our favorite}. being a beauty and style blogger, Aleesha's makeup drawer resembles ours: a mountain of miscellaneous products. to keep her everyday go-to's neat and tidy, she uses a Louis Vuitton pouchette. this mini bag full of beauty goodies helps Aleesha get to and from her office to beauty and fashion events quickly without having to carry around a bulky bag. check out her favorite must haves below and be sure to follow Aleesha's blog : Covet & Acquire and instagram: @aleesha_h

Aleesha always has at least two Nivea Pearly Shine but like all other beauty bloggers, she's always carrying a zillion lipsticks. Like Aleesha says, "girl's gotta have options". Her favorite red lipsticks: NARS Cinematic in Short Circuit {limited, part of the Guy Bourdain collection~ similar color here}and Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Rouge 01. for an extra boost, Aleesha likes to swipe on some GOSH prime'n'set Primer and Mattifying Setting powder followed by a brow touch up with MAC Pro LongWear Brow Set in Quiet Brown. Finishing her makeup with her absolute favorite mascara, Bourjois Paris Volume 1 Second pulls together her every day look. some beauty advice from Aleesha:

"I always carry OPI Wipe-Off! acetone-free lacquer remover wipes because there is nothing worse than sporting a seriously rundown manicure"

xoxo

{Makeup Bag Diaries}

~ tarah and i are always asked what we use as personal makeup given we have large quantities of makeup in our kits. what we use for fashion, bridal and beauty makeup in our kits doesn't always translate to our personal use but for the most part, we are both guilty of pulling from our kits to use on ourselves. we decided to start a series called {Makeup Bag Diaries} showcasing the personal makeup bags of ourselves and some of our favorite local bloggers. this is a little peek at my personal makeup. click the links below to see the brands i love and adore. we hope you enjoy all the beauty!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9 {similar}


xoxo
Oz

ps. be sure to check out our makeup websites: Oz {www.ozzandiyeh.com}, Tarah {www.tarahkostenko.com}