Our new Facebook Page!

ANNOUNCING the brand new, sparkling and shiny Beauty Squared Facebook page!
Ta da! Isn't it pretty?

Yes, the Beauty Squared gals thought it was high time that we joined Facebook and started up a community that will hopefully be engaging, informative and fun.

We'll share our blog posts, answer questions, share interesting links and images we come across, and offer tips and tricks. Feel free to join and interact with us there!

You can (and should) find us and like us at www.facebook.com/beautysquared.ca or by searching for "Beauty Squared" on Facebook. 

J & C

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 26, 2013

Hello lovelies!

I hope you're warm and cosy wherever you are (it's chilly where I am). There's lots (LOTS) to settle into in this week's Round-Up so we'd better dig in!

• If you're chilly, here's a smoky eye that will warm you right up. This gorgeous look was done using the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette.
  
• Sensitive skin? Clinique has a new line of nail polishes (A Different Nail Enamel for Sensitive Skins) that won't irritate your eyes or your skin.
  
• Concerned about toxins in your beauty products? Here's a helpful list of what you should look to avoid when shopping.
  
• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel share their tips for organic and all-natural beauty.
  
• Have you heard of the Caveman Regime for skin? The idea is similar to the Paleo Diet, going back to a very simple routine like our ancestors would have done. Somehow I don't think cavemen and women would have been overly concerned with having clean and clear skin. Here's a XOJane contributor's experience with it.
  
• Tracey from Beauty Reflections takes a look at some of New Brunswick's Reve Maxeville Handmade Cosmetics.
  
• New Beauty Magazine share their picks for beauty essentials - Cutex nail polish remover, Bobbi Brown makeup brushes, FHI flat iron, Smashbox primer, Dove body wash, Colgate toothpaste, Elnett hairspray, and Guinot face mask among others.
  
• Dencia, a Nigerian-Cameroonian pop musician, has released a line of skincare products that claim to lighten hyper-pigmented areas of the skin. It's the latest in "skin toning" which is what it's called in Nigeria, where 77% of women use skin-lightening products on a regular basis in order to adhere to a Western standard of beauty, improve their marriage prospects and social mobility.
  
• Hungarian singer Boggie has released a new music video for her song "Nouveau Parfum", in which her moving image goes through a Photoshop transformation. It's pretty pretty fascinating, and disturbing to see her transform through makeup, lighting and digital manipulation.
  
• Vancouver makeup artist Samantha Ravndahl is suing Lil Kim for copyright infringement after the rapper took one of Samantha's Instagram images and passed it off as her own to promote her new album.
  
• Take this with a grain of salt, but because it's good news, new research from Dove shows that 82% of women think that social media drives the definition of beauty. And, that means that fashion magazines and advertising have less to say over what is beautiful than they did ten years ago. More women feel that they have control over what they think is beautiful now compared to ten years ago. In this link you can read more and also watch 'Selfie', a short film made by Dove that looks at just this, and talks to teenage girls and their mothers about their different views of their own beauty.
  
• After Canadian model Elly Mayday was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer, she chose to continue modelling for Forever Yours Lingerie, despite her surgical scars, weight and hair loss. Rather than representing a sexy, beautiful ideal, she's representing a sexy, beautiful reality.
  
• 3D printed nails? Yikes.
  
• Curly haired ladies, you'll want to bookmark this site. Wavy haired ladies, you too.
  
• Orange lipstick - yes, you can wear it. Here's some inspiration.
  
• Illamasqua's Sculpting Powder Duo reviewed.
  
• Red carpet makeup secrets from the pros.
  
• MTV's Fora shows off some of their favourite headphones with the help of Phoebe Dykstra and MUA Lucky B recreating the looks of M.I.A., Lorde, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna. 

MAC Magnetic Nude Superb Extra Dimension Skinfinish: Review, Swatches and Photos

MAC's Magnetic Nudes collection was made available in stores on December 26 in Canada and after seeing all the online buzz about this collection, I did what I don't normally do on Boxing Day. I went shopping. I bought a lipstick, two eyeshadows and a blush from the Magnetic Nudes collection. I also eyed the Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb, but did not buy it. I kept thinking about it and went back for it the following week. This post will look at the Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb. 

But first, MAC didn't send us the preview photos and info about this collection (or Huggable Lipcolours or Punk Couture, etc) so here is some info about this gorgeous, shimmery collection.

Glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence. Skin is radiant with Extra Dimension Skinfinish. Smoky eyes get a metal effect, shaded with vibrant Extra Dimension Eye Shadow. Fluidline shines with a steely touch, while Opulash provides a powerful finish. Flushed nudes in Extra Dimension Blush, Lipstick and Lipglass are subtle yet sexy, for a look that’s naturally magnetic. Apply with the 128 Split Fibre Cheek and 235 Split Fibre All Over Eye Brushes.

This collection will sell out. So if you like the sound of metallic nude shades, including peachy tones and rose-gold, get thee to a MAC counter immediately! There are tonnes of swatches online as well - check out Temptalia's reviews and photos here, and Makeup and Beauty Blog's overview here. Trust me, it's gorgeous and there's something here for everyone.

This post will look at the Magnetic Nude Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb. If you would like to see the posts looking at the rest of my haul, here are the links:

Magnetic Nude Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique
Magnetic Nude Extra Dimension Eyeshadows in Amorous Alloy and Silver Dawn
Magnetic Nude Amplified Creme Lipstick in Sensual Sparks

Extra Dimension Skinfinish is a liquid-powder highlighter with prismatic reflections that sculpt, highlight and models the face. Superb is described as a soft peachy-nude with multidimensional shimmer. 

It's a very, very pretty peach + champagne + warm rose shade which should work well on most lighter skintones, both cool and warm-toned. 

Photos! (Look how pretty! Gotta love highlighters!)

Superb is an exquisite highlighter. It needs to be tried to be believed. It's warm rose-gold colour allows it to meld seamlessly into the skin, as does the texture. The swatches below are done with my finger and depending on what you use to apply it, you'll get different results. The best I found was using my finger or a synthetic brush. 

I've been applying Superb to the tops of my cheekbones after I apply blush. It works beautifully with the Magnetic Nude Autoerotique blush. It looks very, very natural. I'm a big fan.

Have you tried Superb? 

Grade: A

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 19, 2013

Hello there lovelies! It's been a busy weekend so this Round-Up is getting posted later than usual, but we appreciate your patience mightily. But no more delay, let's show you our links.

• First up, this gorgeous bronzy look from Sam Chapman and Real Techniques. 
• A step-by-step GIF tutorial on how to cover up undereye circles. 
• A very simple DIY anti-aging eye cream using coconut oil, Vitamin E and rose oil. 
• This tutorial makes me wish I had long hair - the soft and romantic Double Gibson.
• Look at this incredible makeup (and outfit) on the stunning Lupita Nyong'o on the cover of Dazed Magazine.
• Elle Canada's never fail eyeliner picks. 
• Karen of the Makeup and Beauty Blog takes a look at Essie's Resort 2014 collection.
• Are you a Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat fan? Have you never heard of it? Read on. 
• Beauty editor picks for their favourite products via Elle Canada.
• The beauty industry and the conflicting social, psychological and economic rewards and penalties of appearance obsessions are examined in a new photo book called Love Me by Zed Nelson. 

Navy Smoke EOTD with Copper and Rose Compliments

This look was inspired by a look I've seen a number of times, typically on women with dark skin. Gayle King was a guest judge on the season finale of Project Runway Allstars which aired last week and had a deep blue matte smoky eye and it inspired me to take a look to see if I had the colours in order to try it out on myself. 

Turns out I don't have a matte deep blue/navy blue to work with but I have some shimmery deep blues and I tried them out. 

This is what I came up with and I like it! It's a great take on the smoky eye and this look would work well on most skintones, particularly on darker skintones and with brown eyes (the navy is a perfect contrast for brown eyes). 

This look looks a lot darker and less shimmery in person than it photographs. The flash obviously picks up the shimmer in the eyeshadow. I'd love to try this using matte eyeshadows. 

I used this Lisa Eldridge video as inspiration, though I didn't use the same products. 

The products I did use are:

• Calvin Klein Tempting Glance Intense Eyeshadow in Midnight Blue (shimmery navy blue)
• Sleek Makeup Ultra Matte Eyeshadow in Ink (matte deep sapphire blue)
• MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Deep Truth (shimmery true dark blue)
• Bloom Eye Definer in Black 
• L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black

1. I started by pressing Midnight Blue onto my eyelid with an eyeshadow brush. Since I wasn't getting good pigmentation from it so I added some Ink to it, focusing on my eyelid. I wanted a dark blue, as dark as I could get so I layered and layered. I'll try this look again but using Ink instead of Midnight Blue, which I think is too old and dried out to use, though the shimmer of it nice for this look.

2. With a clean eyeshadow brush, I blended out the edges, making sure I had some shadow slightly above my eye crease. Blending is the key to wearing dark colours and for doing a smoky eye. You have to make sure there are no harsh edges. So blend and add and blend some more until you get the look you want - darker on the lid and towards the lashline and softening at the crease and above. 

3. Once I had the shape and effect I wanted, I used black eyeliner to line my waterline, working it into my lashline and smudging it slightly above. This step is key to a smoky eye look. If your eyes are particularly sensitive or tend to water, look for a pencil designed for sensitive eyes or a water-resistant version. 

4. To add a touch of brightness, I used an eyeshadow brush to apply a bit of Deep Truth to my crease about 1/3 from the inside corner of my eye. I also dabbed it to my lower inner eye. It's subtle but adds a brightness to the look.

5. I curled my lashes using my Shu Uemera eyelash curler and applied three coats of L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black.

6. To compliment it, I filled in my brows with a bit of MAC Wedge (muted matte beige taupe) and Embark (matte reddish brown) eyeshadows and because blue and orange compliment each other, swept MAC Mineralize Blush in Warmth of Coral (coral-peach) along my cheekbones using an angled blush brush. On top of my cheekbones, to highlight, I swirled a little bit of MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb (soft peach nude with multidimensional shimmer).

7. I wanted to keep my lips muted but softly enhanced, so I applied MAC Lipglass in Full For You. It's a MLBB gloss for me and one of the few lipglosses I wear (I'm much more a lipstick girl than a gloss girl). It adds a subtle rosy colour and of course, shine.

8. My base is my usual Sleek BB Cream with OCC concealer under my eyes and on red spots, but I used a dusting of MAC Studio Fix on my t-zone to give me a mattified look rather than my usual loose powder.

Overall, I quite liked this look. It wasn't quite what I was aiming for, but without a deep matte navy blue in my makeup collection, I wasn't going to achieve it. Still, this is a very wearable, fun, flattering, edgy blue-purple smoky eye that reminds me of the makeup looks I used to wear when I was younger. I never used to go out at night without a smoky eye. 

You could do this look with shades of brown or grey if you wanted a more traditional smoky eye. Or try it with purple or green or burgundy. 

Blues on the eyes are fantastic for making brown eyes pop. So take note, brown-eyed guys and gals!

Black liner in the waterline makes all eye colours pop. Without it, this look on me might not be so flattering. The blue of the shadow would overpower the blue of my eyes without the black liner. 

It's a very simple look. I used three different eyeshadow colours, but could've gotten away with just two - the dark blue and the brighter blue as highlight. And a black eyeliner pencil, that's it. This look is all about the blending. It should look soft, with no harsh lines. 

What's your favourite colour to do a smoky eye with?

C.

A Golden Brown EOTD

Golden brown texture like sun,

Lays me down with my mind she runs,

No need to fight,

Never a frown with golden brown. 

Those are lyrics from The Stranglers song 'Golden Brown'. It's actually about heroin but it's the first thing I thought of when I titled this tutorial. So let's look at those lyrics very superficially for this purpose. It's a great tune too, so check it out!

I've been on the hunt for simple eye looks for day that use colours that make my eye colour pop. I'm specifically looking for a copper shade that's somewhat subtle that I can wear on my eyes. It occurred to me that I don't really have anything like that in my makeup kit. So I thought I'd play with some of the shades I do have - in shades that do enhance blue eyes. I chose MAC's Satin Taupe (a long time favourite), Bare Escentuals Sex Kitten (another favourite) and the coppery-gold shade from MAC's Stacked 2!.

MAC's Satin Taupe is a classic MAC eyeshadow, a shimmery taupe. This shade is neutral enough for all eye colours and the warm tones in it enhances blue (and green) eyes. 

Bare Escentuals Sex Kitten is a sparkly nutmeg shade. The warmth in it makes it a good shade for blue (also hazel and green) eyes. 

The coppery-gold shade in the MAC's Stacked 2! is a basic, glowy cool-gold shade with a slight copper tone to it that warms it up.

I don't know how successful this eye look was. It didn't make my blue eyes pop as much as I was hoping, but also certainly didn't overpower them or dull them down. I'll keep looking for that perfect daytime eye look that makes my eyes really pop, but this is a simple, subtle, basic look that would work well for day. And not just for those of you with blue eyes. 

Here is what I did:

1. I applied a primer (Urban Decay's Primer Potion) to my eyelids.

2. With an eyeshadow brush I pressed the Stacked 2! shade gently into my lid, focusing on the inner half. Note: this shade looks warmer in its container than it did on my skin. I continued to layer it until I got the effect I wanted. 

3. With another eyeshadow brush, I applied Satin Taupe to the outer corners of my eyes, focusing mostly on a > shape (horizontal V), along my lashline and up and across my crease, ending about halfway across my eyelid. One of my favourite things about this look is how the Stacked 2! shade and Satin Taupe intermingle in the middle of my eyelid. 

4. With an angle brush, I smudged Sex Kitten along my upper lashline. On the outer corner I turned the brush sideways and pulled Sex Kitten up into the Satin Taupe, blending the two together. 

5. With the same angle brush, I smudged Sex Kitten softly along my lower lashline. 

6. I left my browbone bare, as I tend to do these days (I have heavy bangs). Also, this look has a fair amount of shimmer so while a brow colour with a soft bit of shimmer would be effective, anything more might be too much for daytime. If you recreate this look, try it!

7. I curled my eyelashes using my Shu Uemera eyelash curler (BEST eyelash curler I've ever used) and applied L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black to my upper eyelashes only.

I like this look a lot. One thing I didn't like was that the Stacked 2! shade irritated my eyes badly. Even after I washed my face and removed my contacts, I had a headache and fuzzy head that lasted for the rest of the day. So I won't be wearing this look again using that shade. I'll have to use a different but similar shade. 

What do you think of this look? Will you try it? Do you have any favourite shades or eye looks for making blue eyes pop? Do you have a deep, pure love for Satin Taupe too?

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 12, 2014

Hello lovelies! It's Sunday so that means it's Round-Up time. Here are the beauty links we've rounded-up for your reading pleasure. 

• Are you a beauty blogger thinking about doing videos? Are you thinking of doing your own beauty blog? You should check this out.
• Tracy from Beauty Reflections reviews Sephora's new Upside Down Mascara. You've gotta check this out!
• Tips on trimming your own bangs. You can do it, but read this first! 
• Eyeliner! How to apply it. 
• More eyeliner! A video showing you how to change the shape of your eyes with eyeliner. 
• Are you a sucker for smoky eyes like I am? Here are some celebrity inspirations. 
• Founded in 1909, Max Factor's cosmetics line and techniques revolutionized makeup for film. This is an excellent article telling his story.  
• The wholly unhealthy thigh gap trend. 
• As much as the media, fashion and pop culture need to embrace a more inclusive ideal of beauty, it's not OK to claim one body type is more "real", "ideal" or "natural" than another. 

Formula X for Sephora Xplosives Top Coat in Turbulent Review and Swatches

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a relaxing holiday, mine was busier than I expected it to be but nice nonetheless. Now that the holidays are over I am (finally) tackling some of my Sephora VIB sale haul and all the nice beauty goodies I scooped up over the holidays.

One of the nail polishes I got during the sale was Formula X for Sephora Xplosives Top Coat in Turbulent ($15.00 CA/$13.00 US, permanent). Turbulent is a clear base filled with black and turquoise confetti that ranges in size from pin prick size flecks to large peppercorn sized hexagons. It has a rather thick texture, as can be expected from a confetti filled polish, and to apply an even coating of confetti, you will need to strategically blob the polish over your nail. Photos taken with flash, no base or top coat, 3 layers.

The formula dries fast and feels a little like sand paper on the nail, though not in an unpleasant way. It dries to a medium glossy finish, though because it is textured it won't shine like a flat layer of polish would. I found this polish lasted 2-3 days without any chipping (which is normal wear time for me) and I expect with a proper base and top coat or used over another polish it would last much longer.

Although I know it is designed to be worn as a top coat over another polish, I like wearing this on it's own - it reminds me of abstract expressionist painting and I think that's really fun and different. The one major downside to this polish (and any other glitter/confetti polish) is removing it is very difficult. I actually found the easiest way for me to remove it was to scrape and chip it off with the edge of a metal nail file! Now, I know most people would not want to subject their nail beds to that type of treatment, so you could also use the tin foil method of removal too.

Grade: B+

Beauty Squared Round-Up - January 5, 2014

Happy 2014! We hope your holidays were fantastic and wish you all the best in the new year.

This is our first round-up of 2014 so let's make it a good one. There is a lot to share with you!

• Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog shares some of her current favourite permanent collection products including YSL, MAC and NARS.
  
• Great tips on making your makeup last here.
  
• Pantone's colour of 2014 is radiant orchid. New Beauty has a slideshow of some products that'll help you be on trend!
  
• Eyeliners, eyeliners, eyeliners! Here are some great product options. Embrace those peepers!
  
• A review of Deborah Lippman's Sookie Sookie from the True Blood collection.
  
• Online beauty shops you may not know about...I didn't!
  
• What's a konjac sponge and why do you need one in your skincare regime?
  
• Why would you pay $$$ for a lash serum when you can make your own at home?
  
• The Makeup Girl shares her best beauty products of 2013.
  
• Some more best of 2013 from Daily Candy including Michelle Phan, Oribe Mousse and My Ten Friends nail polish.
  
• Love nails? Check out this best of 2013 collection of nail moments.
  
• Here are some of the most-hyped beauty products of 2013 - which ones got thumbs up and which got thumbs down?
  
• And check out Arianne, the Glitter Geek's most loved beauty posts of 2013.
  
• 22 cult beauty products from Asia!
  
• This is an amazingly cool Smaug (the dragon from The Hobbit)-inspired makeup tutorial. I want to try it!

MAC Magnetic Nude Extra Dimension Eyeshadows Amorous Alloy and Silver Dawn: Photos, Swatches and Review

MAC's Magnetic Nudes collection was made available in stores on December 26 in Canada and after seeing all the online buzz about this collection, I did what I don't normally do on Boxing Day. I went shopping. I bought a lipstick, two eyeshadows and a blush from the Magnetic Nudes collection. This post will look at the Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique. 

But first, MAC didn't send us the preview photos and info about this collection (or Huggable Lipcolours or Punk Couture, etc) so here is some info about this gorgeous, shimmery collection.

Glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence. Skin is radiant with Extra Dimension Skinfinish. Smoky eyes get a metal effect, shaded with vibrant Extra Dimension Eye Shadow. Fluidline shines with a steely touch, while Opulash provides a powerful finish. Flushed nudes in Extra Dimension Blush, Lipstick and Lipglass are subtle yet sexy, for a look that’s naturally magnetic. Apply with the 128 Split Fibre Cheek and 235 Split Fibre All Over Eye Brushes.

This collection will sell out. So if you like the sound of metallic nude shades, including peachy tones and rose-gold, get thee to a MAC counter immediately! There are tonnes of swatches online as well - check out Temptalia's reviews and photos here, and Makeup and Beauty Blog's overview here. Trust me, it's gorgeous and there's something here for 
everyone.

In those post, I'll take a look at two of the eyeshadows from the Magnetic Nude collection = Amorous Alloy and Silver Dawn. 

All of the eyeshadows in this collection are Extra Dimension Eye Shadows, which means that they are "liquid powder eye shadows with prismatic reflections. Impact ranges from sheer crystallized light to to a highly polished metallic effect."

Amorous Alloy is described as a deep terracotta copper with metallic finish. It's a dark copper with red-brown tones and shimmery, soft texture. 

I wasn't sure about Amorous Alloy as I don't typically wear red-toned eyeshadows. While the red works beautifully with my blue eyes, it usually makes me look sick. But Amorous Alloy swatched so beautifully on my hand at the MAC counter, I couldn't say no. 

It's a beautiful coppery-red-brown shade and it's so beautifully frosted. It goes on smoothly, with gorgeous sparkle. Swatched it looks less red than it does in the pan. 

Amorous Alloy has excellent wear time. I saw no fading and there was no creasing after 8 hours and while it faded slightly after that, there was no creasing by the time I washed it off at the end of the day. I always wear a primer on my lids.

Amorous Alloy eyeshadow swatched on NW15 skin.

Silver Dawn is described as a dirty grey mauve with a metallic finish. I see a bit of green-gold in it. It's cool-toned.

I'm a big fan of greyish-browns - they're very easy to wear and tend to stand out in a subdued but dramatic way. Silver Dawn is no different though its layers of colour - grey, brown, gold, green, mauve - make it a real stand-out. And the gorgeous sheen. This is a shade that can be worn on its own or as an addition to a smoky eye.

Silver Dawn swatches very smoothly and has good wear time. With a primer (I always wear a primer), it lasted 12 hours without creasing. 

Silver Dawn Eyeshadow swatches on NW15 skin.

You can see how I wore both of these in my Magnetic Nude FOTD. 

Grade: A (for both)