Beauty Squared Round-Up for June 14

Hello and happy Sunday! It's been awhile, and for that, our apologies. We've got a lot of beauty links to share with you as a result.

Let's do this.

• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel shares their tips for achieving the dewy skin look.
  
• Temptalia has a review of Charlotte Tilbury's new Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadows. See her thoughts on them here.
  
• Charlotte does one of her signature smokey eye looks on her mum, Patsy. See it here.
  
• Pixiwoo has a review of Benefit's new primer, License to Blot, on their blog. See what they think of it here.
  
• A great no-makeup makeup trick.
  
• Matte highlighter. Yes, it's real. Read about it here.
  
• A preview of OCC's summer collection, featuring Willem Bell from RuPaul's Drag Race fame.
  
• How to fix broken lipsticks.
  
• Did you know that you can refill your EOS lip balm containers? Here's how, or if you don't want to refill an EOS container, here how you can make your own lip balm in a regular container.
  
• Pimples. How to pop them properly and safely, if you must.
  
• A DIY rose water facial mist recipe.
  
• Can drinking tea improve your appearance?
  
• Hair plopping, for incredible curl definition. Here's how to do it.
   
• Tis the season for hair removal. Here are some shaving hacks.
  
• Here is what to do when razor burn happens.
  
• When artist Frida Kahlo died, her husband Diego Rivera had her things locked up in a room where they remained for over 15 years. Among Kahlo's possessions were two half-used bottles of Revlon nail polish. What about some other artists and their links to makeup?
  
• Bloglovin' has ten up-and-coming beauty bloggers you should know about. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for April 19, 2015

Happy Sunday and hello from Beauty Squared. It's that time again. Here are our picks for must-see links related to all things beauty. Let's go!

• Spring 2015 Beauty Trend: Doll-like makeup. We're talking perfect skin, lashes and pink lips.
  
• Summer is coming and that means many of us will be cropping our hair shorter for the warmer weather. Thinking of going short-short? Or maybe you're already way ahead of the trend and rocking short hair? Here are some short hair inspirations.
  
• Do you dye your own hair? If so, you know how messy it can be. Here are some helpful tips on cleaning up during and after dying your hair.
  
• You know how to keep your skin clean and clear from breakouts, right? No? Here you go.
  
• Do you exfoliate your skin? You should and here's how.
  
• A product that can banish your puffy eyes with minimal effort?
  
• Products that can minimize those pesky large pores that can prevent you from having a smooth complexion are all the rage right now. This is what you should know about them.
  
• Tempted by bold eye makeup looks but a little intimidated? This post might help.
  
• Speaking of bold eye makeup looks: how about using metallic flakes (think gold leaf) in your eye looks?
  
• Travelling and makeup - what to pack.
  
• If you'll be travelling somewhere warm soon, or you've maybe overdone it enjoying the warm spring sunshine, this is for you - Five Tips for Sunburn.
  
• Ease off on the contouring, kids. Read what MUA Patti Dubroff has to say about the heavy contouring running rampant on Instagram and YouTube and what you should be doing instead.
  
• And on that note, here's how to get a flattering, natural-looking brow that suits you and doesn't look like you've put it on with a Sharpie.
  
• MAC Senior Artist Melissa Gibson tells us how to handle the overabundance of limited edition collections without feeling the need to buy them all. She should know, working for MAC, who has limited edition collections out every few weeks!
  
• Sam and Nic from Pixiwoo and Real Techniques sits down with their idol, the fantastic MUA Val Garland for a chat.
  
• Read about (and see) what happened when a woman went to eight different makeup counters and asked for a natural make-up look. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for April 12, 2015

Good morning, lovelies!

It's Beauty Squared Round-Up time. Settle in and enjoy!

• The Up the Rollercoaster blog's  concealer library. It's helpful for a number of reasons - - talking about the types of concealers you need for different concealing purposes, and the types of concealers that are especially good for different concealing purposes.
  
• We all love drugstore dupes for high end products. Here's a new round!
  
• Curly hair is like denim.
  
• Are you intrigued by but a little scared by blue eyeshadow? (I am). Here are some new shades and how to wear them that might inspire you out of that fear.
  
• Maybe more people would wear sunscreen if it didn't smell like sunscreen? Here are some of the best-smelling sunscreens.
  
• Relevant to me (and maybe you), beauty things to pack for travelling.
  
• Skincare ingredients you might not be using, but should be.
  
• Do you lips need a bit of TLC? Here are some of the best lip products to give them new life.
  
• Beauty mysteries, like why does the salon shampoo feel so much better than when you do it yourself? Is your "Hmmmm?" moment on the list?
  
• Nic from Pixiwoo has two great basics videos up on their YouTube channel right now.
• Top tips for colour correcting
• How to contour

Beauty Squared Round-Up for March 22, 2015

Helllllooooooo! Haaaaaappy Sunday to yoooooou!

It's rrrrrrrrrrround up time! (Do I sound like I'm trying to sell you something? Or like I'm announcing a truck rally?)

Here are your links this week.

• Urban Outfitters has been increasing its beauty selection. Here are some of the best picks from what they offer. It is important to note though, that the President and CEO of Urban Outfitters, which is also the parent company of Anthropologie and Free People brands, among others, may not be the type of person you want to support the businesses of.
  
• Korean beauty. You've heard of it. We've talked about it here. Into the Gloss features a visit to Gangnam's beauty district (think of it like Fifth Avenue in Manhattan or Yorkville in Toronto). (Oh, and I'm sorry I just probably gave you a Gangnam Style earworm).
  
• Eva Mendes has a new makeup line out called Circa and it's not expensive!
  
• Speaking of inexpensive, here's a "no makeup" makeup look put together using just (American) drugstore products.
  
• Did you know that there are skincare ingredients you shouldn't mix? And that there are some that work really well together? Here are some Dos and Don'ts of mixing and matching your skincare products.
  
• There's been a lot of talk in the beauty world about properly cleaning your skin - washing your face twice with two different products, and using cleansing brushes. Here's one woman's routine that gets her a truly clean face every day.
  
• Napoleon Perdis shows how to conceal dark undereye circles - using multiple products.
  
• If you're not a makeup artist or beauty junkie/blogger, makeup brushes might be a bit intimidating - what do they do?, why do I need this one?, how do I use it? This Refinery 29 post might help you.
  
• How frequently do you clean your hair brushes? It's probably not enough. Here's how to.
  
• Looking for an on-trend (ie. 90s-esque) makeup look? This one is easy, can be dramatic or subtle, and uses only one product.
  
• Eyeliner looks for your eye shape (hooded, mono, downturned, round). Fun, and dramatic. Love this!
  
• Speaking of eyeliner for hooded lids, Sam of Pixiwoo did this fantastic tutorial with helpful tips on how to do dramatic liner when your lids don't allow you to draw a straight line. This is a great look for those who have hooded lids, and for those who don't. I highly recommend taking a look. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for March 15, 2015

Good morning!
If you've got a little time to kill, why not check out a couple of beauty links today? Treat yourself.

• Loving this grunge makeup tutorial by Nic of Pixiwoo. It's a great look especially if you tend to look very groomed all the time.
  
• Some of the most notable beauty looks from the runways of Paris Fashion Week.
  
• We've gone from BB creams to CC creams and now to Cushion Compacts. Read about them here.
  
• A possible solution to your acne scars.
  
• Curly girls, this post is for you.
  
• Why every woman should shave their head at least once.
  
• Have you ever wanted to get rid of a semi-permanent hair colour? Here's a solution.
  
• Beauty editors share their favourite luxury products.
  
• Brands that make good foundation shades for dark skin.
   
• Is the beauty industry finally embracing diversity?

Beauty Squared Round-Up - February 8, 2015

Hello everyone, and a very happy Sunday to you! Hoping that it's warm wherever you are in the world today. 

Here are the links we've gathered for your enjoyment this week.

• Hey blue eyes! This post is for you.
• Pregnancy-safe beauty products.
• Yet another how-to for creating fake freckles. Have you ever done this?
• Blurred lines? Nope, try blurred lips - a fresh new way to wear lipstick.
• Cool musician ladies Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells and Samantha Urbani of Blood Orange talk all-natural beauty products in Nylon.
• Tis the season for dry lips. Here are some lip moisturizers you may not have heard of before.
• And tis the season for dry skin, so here is how to rid yourself of flakiness and dullness.
• 38 new beauty releases you need to know about.
• 12 things only people with bangs will understand.
• We're big fans of the colourful smoky eye here at Beauty Squared and here's a gorgeous one on Oscar nominee Felicity Jones. Bonus: they tell you how to recreate it too!
• Sam of Pixiwoo does a gorgeous and fierce Michelle Visage-inspired (drag-inspired) makeup tutorial.
• Would you give up smiling and laughing to keep your face from wrinkling? One woman says that she's prevented wrinkles and fine lines by refraining from not allowing her face to move for most of her life. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for January 11, 2015

Hey there lovelies,

Second Sunday of the New Year and how are we all fairing so far? Did you make resolutions? If so, how are they going?

Here's the Beauty Squared Round-Up for Sunday, January 11. There's a lot to share with you so, let's goooooooo!

• Rae of The Beauty Notice shares her favourites from 2014. If you've got dry and dehydrated skin, you'll find some product recommendations in there.
  
• It's the new year, so why not try something new with your makeup look? Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel share their change-up tips here.
  
• Here's another argument for trying something new makeup-wise and tips from Alle of XOVain.
  
• And if you typically wear quite a bit of makeup, for the new year why not try a fresh-faced look like Nic of Pixiwoo which she demonstrates here?
  
• If you're experiencing cold, dry weather where you are right now, you're likely noticing changes to your skin and hair. Here are some helpful links.
• Paste Magazine's round-up of natural beauty products for winter.
• Your grandma probably used to use them (maybe still does!), and here's why you should take a look at cold creams if you're skin is dry and dehydrated.
• You might need to rethink your makeup to suit the weather too. Here are some tips on winterizing your look.
  
• Some more natural beauty treatments:
• Cate Blanchett's DIY body scrub.
• 11 Weird Beauty and Health Treatments You Need to Know
  
• MUA and beauty blogger Lelo shares part one of her journey to clear up her acne.
  
• Gray eyeliner: why you should wear it.
  
• Tips for becoming blonde and maintaining it.
  
• How to keep your undereye concealer from creasing.
  
• A look at a new mascara coming from L'Oreal - Miss Manga Punky Mascara. It allows you to sculpt your lashes into shapes!
  
• Fashion designer Victoria Beckham has collaborated with Nails Inc. on two nail polish shades to coincide with her Spring/Summer 2015 collection.
  
• Red lipstick - Growing Up Meant Learning How To Wear Red Lipstick.

IMATS Toronto 2014

I attended IMATS Toronto again this year. The last (and first) time I went was in 2011. This year it was at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto.

IMATS Toronto is busy. Very busy. I heard and said "Sorry" and "Excuse me" SO MANY TIMES. Girls pushing each other out of the way, or banging into each other and saying "Sorry". It made me chuckle. But I think it was mostly friendly, not frantic. We were all in it together. 

The crowds ebb and flow, and there are periods of calm, but many of the booths are two or three people deep, and there are lengthy queues to access the Make Up For Ever and MAC booths. 

But IMATS isn't all for shopping. Mostly, but not all. There are also demonstrations, classes, displays and the IMATS Battle of the Brushes for student MUAs. It's a great event for MUAs. 

This year's special display featured items from the FX TV series called The Strain, which I've been watching. It's set in New York City but filmed in Toronto.

This is the main villain, the Master, a centuries old vampire. You can see the Master in action here:

Here is The Master's coffin, where it sleeps. It's huge. 

And this is one of the partly-dissected bodies of a vampire used in the show. The vampires have an appendage that comes out of their throats to suck blood out of their victims and that's the long tail-like thing lying against the body. 

This year the main draw for me was that Samantha and Nicola of Pixiwoo and Real Techniques. They stopped by the Real Techniques booth to greet fans for a few hours. I didn't wait in line since it was so long by the time I got there, but it was cool to see them in person. From what I saw, they seem just as lovely and genuine as they do in their videos. And yes, just as gorgeous too.

Here's part of the line to meet Sam and Nic. 

Here's Toronto's Blur Makeup Room's booth. So busy.

Here's a shot of part of the line at the Make Up For Ever booth. They were offering 30% off.

The Velour Mink Eyelashes booth. 

Because of the crowds, it's best to have a list. And cash on hand. Some booths accept credit cards and debit, but not all. There are ATMs but these are often busy too. All booths accept cash. 

Some of the vendors I haven't already mentioned include:

Beauty Blender

Beauty SoClean

Hakuhodo

Jordane Cosmetics

Naked Cosmetics

NARS Cosmetics

Royal & Langnickel Brush

TemptuPro

FACE Atelier

I went looking for brushes and a few other things that I didn't bother trying for because of the crowds, but here is what I came home with. I will review all of these products in separate posts.

bdellium Brushes: I discovered these at the 2011 IMATS and have been impressed with their quality. The best part is that they're so inexpensive. I bought five brushes for less than $30. 

CDN Vinylux Nail Polishes: These are the creation of the people behind the shellac manicure. Vinylux are weekly nail polishes that yup, last a week without chipping or wearing. They make your nails stronger while wearing them. I reviewed their Dark Dahlia shade last December. You can see that review here. 

OPI Nail Polish: The booth selling this and the Vinylux polishes had them for $6 each, which is half the price of the Vinylux and cheaper than you can find OPI polishes regularly. I liked the colour of this one. 

EyEnvy: This was an impulse buy, since it was $30 cheaper than it is elsewhere, and because I've heard so many rave reviews of it. EyEnvy is a lash and brow conditioner designed to increase the growth of eyelashes and eyebrows. I'll try it out and post my results in an upcoming post. 

And that was my IMATS Toronto 2014 experience. Did you attend this year?

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - April 20, 2014

Hello lovelies! Another week has swept by in an instant, it seems and it's time again for our weekly Beauty Squared Round-Up. Are you ready?

• The awesome Tracy Peart, of Toronto's Breakfast Television and Cityline gives her tips for applying bronzer and blush. 
• Ombré brows. Subtly ombré brows, I mean. Don't be scared. 
• I need these tips this morning - how to depuff your eyes. 
• We all love "holy grail" beauty product lists, right? Here's another one. Make your shopping list! 
• Gorgeous Arianne of the Glitter Geek beauty blog shows you her favourite contouring products that have cheekbone effects ranging from "I woke up like this" to "Cumberbatch".
• Smoky purple is having a moment. Wear it on your eyes or nails with these products. 
• The 60s mod eye is never out of style. Here's an updated version of it that uses a peachy shade on Cara Delevingne.
• Smoky eyes never go out of style either. Here are two of Kevyn Aucoin's classic techniques that break down the steps for you. 
• There are lots of work-appropriate makeup looks, and night-out makeup looks and every-possible-event-you-can-think-of looks but are there any sex-proof makeup looks? I haven't come across one until now. Thank you, Nerve. 
• Sam of Pixiwoo has an awesome Siouxsie Sioux punk/goth makeup tutorial up. 
• And since there are super-dramatic eyebrows happening in that video, let's look at some horrifying eyebrows. Caveat: I don't know if these are all real brows or if there's photoshop/satire involved, but I think it's safe to say that these should be inspirational only for how NOT to do your eyebrows. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for March 30, 2014

Good morning lovelies and a happy Sunday to you! We hope it is sunny wherever you are.

• Tracey from Beauty Reflections reviews the new Gosh Cosmetics Forever Eyes Shadow Sticks - creamy, shimmery eyeshadow in stick form!
  
• Do you have green eyes? Here's an Emma Stone makeup tip that will help enhance them - aubergine eyeliner.
  
• Rae from The Notice has a review of the iconic Revlon Icy Violet lipstick - originally launched in 1946.
  
• Blush! There's no better way to bring light, colour and a youthful glow to your skin. Here are some picks for the best shades for your skin tone.
  
• A great round-up of foundations for fair skin - as in, for skin fairer than "Siberia".
  
• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel steps up to the $25 makeup challenge - create a look using products that in total are less than $25. Not as easy as it might sound!
  
• Video tutorials!
• MUA Charlotte Tilbury shows how to get bigger, brighter eyes. (Note: you don't need to use the specific products she uses.)
• Pixi Beauty founder Petra Strand shows us how to do makeup for over-40 faces. (Note: there are no rules, and this isn't how you necessarily should do your makeup if you're over-40. This isn't necessarily how you shouldn't do your makeup if you're 30 or 60 either.)
• Nic of Pixiwoo does a Victoria Beckham smoky eye tutorial.
  
• Pompadour hair inspiration!
  
• How to achieve a deep side-part, GIF-style.
  
• Check out these amazing pin-up girl style photos featuring very sexy septuagenarians! These ladies are gorgeous and inspiring! (NSFW)

Beauty Squared Round-Up - February 23, 2014

Hello lovelies!
Can you believe it's the last Sunday of February already? I can't. 2014 is whizzing by, so far.

We're excited to share our round-up with you this week, so let's dive in!

• If there's a 60s makeup tutorial floating around out there and we spot it, you know it's getting shared with our B2 readers! ESPECIALLY if it's a Pixiwoo tutorial. Sam shows how to create an Edie Sedgwick look. Edie was a 60s It Girl and muse to Andy Warhol and this is a lot of look but it's so great. 
• Winter is tough, tough, tough on the skin. The New York Times wants to help and recommends an eye serum, exfoliator and illuminating powder to help your skin look glowy and bright.
• Products for battling undereye puffiness and tricks for reducing the appearance of undereye shadows.
• Bad hair day fixes from Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel for when you oversleep, used too much product or it's just not working for you. At all. We've all been there. 
• A universally flattering eyeshadow shade? How intriguing... Click through to find out what this magical colour is.
• Pink lipstick, and we're not talking MLBB (My Lips But Better) pink lipstick, but bright and bubbly pink. These'll get you thinking and feeling spring...
• Speaking of spring, British Beauty Blogger has a look at Bobbi Brown's Nectar & Nude collection (launching in March). It's got coral and nude lipglosses, nail polish, cream blush and eyeshadows. Can't beat a soft nude palette accented with a bright pop of coral, really. Perfect for spring!
• The Muse has a review of the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge from the Nectar & Nude collection. It's called Hibiscus, which is one of those colour names that's totally irresistible in the beauty world. 
• Karen of the Makeup and Beauty Blog has photos and swatches of the new NARS Matte Multiple Collection. Speaking of NARS, did you see the B2 reviews of the new NARS matte blushes from the last week? 
• NARS Final Cut Collection: Love Blush
• NARS Final Cut Collection: New Attitude Blush
• NARS Final Cut Collection: Sex Fantasy Blush
• NARS Final Cut Collection: Final Cut Blush
• Kevyn Aucoin was a master, and a celebrity makeup artist almost before that was something to be. His books, Making Faces and Face Forward are classics. Who better to learn how to do a smoky eye from? Kevyn Aucoin's smoky eye tutorials.
• Actress Lea Seydoux wore a beautifully sophisticated and sexy blue smoky eye at last weekend's BAFTAs. Here's how to recreate it. 
• 20 of the most gorgeous red lips of the last 20 years, according to InStyle magazine. 
• Contouring your face can be tricky, very tricky. Here's a great tip on how to make the process easier. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up - February 2, 2014

Happy Groundhog Day!!! Whether you trust those poor rodents who had to wake up early this morning and look for their shadows or not, or care if there's six more weeks of winter or not, THIS you know is true. There are some very clickable links coming for your Sunday perusal....

And here they are!

• First up, Beauty Squared has a brand new Facebook page. We'll be sharing our blog posts, links, answering questions and sharing tips. Head over and Like us to keep up to date! It'll be fun, we promise!
  
• Here is an absolutely gorgeous tutorial from Sam of Pixiwoo. It's a contoured face/metallic eyes tutorial and has some great tips even if you don't try the whole thing yourself.
  
• Store mannequins are slowly but surely getting much-needed makeovers in America. You have probably heard about the American Apparel mannequins who are sporting pubic hair, but apart from that, stores are attempting to represent their customers better by using mannequins with tattoos, and as described in the article "thicker waists, saggier breasts, and back fat"(wish they hadn't used quite so unflattering, negative phrasing there. Guess we have a ways to go yet. :S) Anyway, fingers crossed that this is the start of a real shift.
  
• Ladies with natural hair! This link is for you - 12 beauty blogs for natural-hair.
  
• A review of Rimmel's new Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tints - inexpensive, a dupe for YSL Créme de Blush apparently, sheer and oh so very spring!
  
• Growing out bangs/fringe can be one of the most irritating things, am I right? Elle Canada has some tips for doing it.
  
• OCC's new Cosmetic Colour Pencils - squee!!!
  
• Barney's new ad campaign called Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters uses transgender models with the intent of creating awareness for the transgender community.
  
• Photographer Sean Scheidt is photographing burlesque performers in the Baltimore area as their every day selves and then in character as their burlesque alteregos. The link is a Buzzfeed link but Sean's website is here although it's not working on my browser.
  
• Friends Katy Ansite and Katie Feo Kelly's YouTube channel "Just the Tips" feature videos of the pair attempting some of the internet tips (looking at you, Pinterest) that really don't work or translate into real life. It's highly amusing. Check out their channel, or just click the link here and watch the Hunger Games makeup video (third video down) for a taste.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - December 22, 2013

Hello lovelies! We hope you're staying warm and full of holiday cheer. There are only three days until Christmas!

If you need a break from baking or family or wrapping gifts, here are some beauty links for you....

• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel share their best beauty tricks and tips.
• Nylon has a sneak peek of Cara Delevingne's new Yves St. Laurent campaign and tells you how to get her beauty look. 
• Steal actor Elizabeth Olin's secretly sparkly eye look. 
• Nylon claims that actor Margot Robbie's got her eye makeup matching her earrings. I don't see it myself, though both her earrings and her makeup are fantastic. Nylon does tell you how to achieve the look though, so that's worth it!
• It's so easy to make your own body scrubs and body scrubs are skin savers at this time of year, aren't they? Here's one that uses coconut oil and granulated sugar - yes, you can eat it too.
• Waterproof nail polish? I didn't know nail polish wasn't waterproof. But then I read this. 
• Love how false eyelashes can look but hate that they can look so fake? New Beauty has some tips on how to make false lashes look real. 
• MUA Andi Yancey shares her tips on creating a cat eye on different eye shapes - almond eyes, hooded eyes, monolid eyes and round eyes. 
• Sam of Pixiwoo has done a video tutorial on Alexa Chung's edgy, polished and sexy eye makeup - one of my all-time favourite looks.
• Artist Anna Hill has created a series of fake ads by using commonly used image editing tools to alter photos of herself in order to critique the overuse of Photoshop in today's mainstream advertising. 
• Jenna Talackova is best known as the Miss Universe contestant who was disqualified when it came to light that she had been born a male even though she's had gender reassignment surgery and has identified as a female since she was 19. Elle Canada has a feature on the actor and model. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up - November 10, 2013

Hello lovelies! Have you done your Sephora VIB shopping yet? (VIB's are those who spend $350 or more each year at Sephora).Today's the last day, so get online or get to a store and snap up that wishlist while it's 20% off. 

OK, now that that PSA is done with, let's take a look at all the beauty-related links we've gathered for your interest this week. There's some good 'uns in here:

• Speaking of Sephora...this week they pulled one of Kat Von D's lipsticks off their shelves and website after backlash from customers over the name "Celebutard". Short-sighted on the part of Kat Von D and Sephora not to anticipate the response, in my opinion!
• Glamour has a round-up of their picks for the best beauty trends from Spring Fashion Week 2014. 
• Revlon responds to the charge that they are selling products that contain cancer-causing ingredients while branding themselves as supporters of breast cancer research. Revlon says the charges are "misleading".
• A DIY dry shampoo - rice flour - and tips for how to use it for perfect results!
• Speaking of powder, here are some things you may be doing wrong when you use face powder in your makeup routine. 
• 23 Amazing Budget Beauty Buys from Beautylish.com. Many of these are American, but keep a list for the next time you go cross-border shopping!
• MUA extraordinaire, James Vincent, chooses his favourite cult red lipsticks. 
• Are you guilty of any of these bad skin habits?
• Sam from Pixiwoo talks about five common makeup mistakes - too dark brows, using the wrong foundation, etc - and how to fix them.

That's it for this week! Hope you've enjoyed (and learned something)!

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - November 3, 2013

Happy November! Did you remember to turn your clocks back an hour last night? 
If you're enjoying that extra hour you have today and want to do some clicking and reading, here are some beauty-related links for you.

• Fashion Magazine's panel of beauty bloggers show you how to wear bright colours on your eyes.
• Face masks: Why do you need one?
• Can you think of some iconic lipstick moments in movies? Here's a round-up of ten of the most iconic scenes featuring one of those colourful tubes. 
• A look at Kim Kardashian's changing facial features over the years. 
• A preview of the NARS Guy Bourdin 2013 collection. Brights!
• Jane, the British Beauty Blogger joins Sam and Nic of Pixiwoo to go through some of the hot new fall/winter 2013 beauty products.
• A bunch of British celebrities have been photographed with bare faces for the charity Children In Need. I don't recognize a lot of these ladies, but you Brits would.

Real Techniques Your Base/Flawless Core Collection Review

Makeup brushes are so important to your makeup routine and trust me, they make applying almost everything easy. Quality is important but can be expensive. 

Makeup artist and YouTube vlogger Samantha Chapman of Pixiwoo (with her MUA sister Nicola) has her own line of makeup brushes out called Real Techniques and they're both high quality and inexpensive. I picked up the Your Base/Flawless Core Collection recently. It's my second Real Techniques brush kit (you can see my review of the Your Eyes/Enhanced Starter Set brush kit here). A store called Designer Cosmetics Warehouse in the underground shopping area beneath Holt Renfrew Centre on Bloor Street in Toronto carries the Real Techniques brushes.

The Your Base/Flawless Core Collection set cost me $29.95 and comes with four brushes, designed for creating a perfect base (foundation, concealer, powder, blush, contour, highlight, etc). 

Real Techniques brush sets come in a case that can be used for storage and turned into a stand for display or easy access. Sam being a makeup artist herself knows exactly what works well for makeup application and I think this idea is genius. 

Case open

Case as a stand

Case closed

The brushes in the Your Base/Flawless Core Collection are a buffing brush, detailer brush, pointed foundation brush and contour brush. The Real Techniques brushes are made of Taklon, a synthetic fiber used in high quality art and make-up brushes, so they're cruelty-free. The handles are aluminum, so they're light and they're colour coded so you know that all the purple ones are the enhanced eyes brushes, all the gold ones are meant for achieving a flawless face and the pink one are for a perfect finish. Let's look at each one more closely. 


The Buffing Brush is the largest of the four and meant for full coverage application of powder and mineral makeup. It's gorgeously soft and easy to manipulate over the skin, resulting in as full or as soft a coverage as you're looking for. You could use this with blush, highligher and bronzer as well.

The Detailer Brush is for applying concealer with its tapered, fine tip and can also be used for lipstick. I find this is far easier to use than a lip brush for applying concealer to blemishes or small areas of skin since you can use just the tip or the broader area and it's excellent for blending. I've also used this to apply eyeshadow to my inner eye and to my brow bone and I've used it to smudge eyeliner.

The Pointed Foundation Brush is for use with liquid foundation to build coverage. I like to use this with my cream concealers, as it's so effective in building coverage. It works well with liquid products too - eyeshadow, highlighter, etc. The tapered, broad tip works for painting on product and for buffing and blending. 

The Contour Brush is for delicately applying highlighter to contour areas and also for super-soft focus buffing. I've used this for contouring under my cheekbones and along the jawline and sides of the face. It's so perfect for creating the contour line and then buffing it out to the perfect shadow. It's lovely for adding a touch of highlighter as well, and makes it so easy to control just how much you want. 

At the bottom of the page here you can see a video of Sam using the Core Collection brushes. 

I love these brushes so much. They're super-soft and so easy to use. They're well-priced (about $8 per brush) and good quality. They pick up product beautifully and buff gorgeously. 

If you're in the market for some new brushes, I can't recommend the Real Techniques line enough. Learn more about them here and check out Sam and Nicola's YouTube channel here. 

Grade: A

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