Category: Make up

Beauty and the Beach: what I wore on holidays…

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

So, for the longest time, I heard that one’s not supposed to wear make-up on the beach, because it slides, it cakes, it runs, and it’s the opposite of the beach image ideal; which is to have a no make-up, but have a fresh tanned face…but I disagree. On my first trip ever to the Caribbean this holiday season, I did wear a full face make-up and am soooo glad I did. Nobody wants to have a puffy face, blemishes, and undefined eyes. In photos, these are expensive memories, and I wanted to look my best. Here are my top tips for wearing make-up for the beach, including water proof make-ups that can be worn during dips in the sea/pool!

Tips on makeup for the beach:

  1. Foundation? yes please! Don’t be afraid of wearing heavy foundations…the reason being that it can be mixed with sunscreen for more translucent coverage and it won’t look too “done up”. I used my Revlon Youth FX foundation mixed with cream concealer (for extra coverage) since I was cutting it with a sunscreen too. After mixing the three products in my hand I rubbed it generously, but evenly on my face, being sure to smooth streaks. Then a good dusting of face powder to set the base. It looked natural and was protecting me from the sun! I didn’t reapply sunscreen to my face during the day, so I banked all my protection on a thicker, more water resistant application in the morning.
  2. Eye shadow…waterproof is hard to find! I always like a bit of colour on my eyelids because it’s just a nice accent for a beachy, but fashionable look. I couldn’t find waterproof eyeshadow, so I used an aqua colored soft pencil all over the lid and set it with aqua power shadow. This lasted me through several dunks in the sea! Just powder shadow works too, but is less long lasting,..
  3. Eye liner! Waterproof is necessary since it will run and smear everywhere if not, especially black eyeliner. I found a 24 hour water proof gel liner by Benefit that did the job nicely. I got to wear a cat eye look everyday, which made all the difference in photos by helping my eyes pop.

    After a dip in the ocean, my liner, blue shadow and mascara seem to still be entact. Score one for make-up!
  4. Mascara: Waterproof formulas are easy enough to find…I used a Revlon make for lengthening, but volumizing would have worked great too. It looked nice, didn’t flake or run at all. Mascara is very essential make-up for the beach and not something to skip. I look more awake and my eyes look wider when I wear mascara, which will make vacation photos look better!
  5. Honorable beach make-up mentions:  blush and tinted lip balms with sunscreen; blush, if done in powder form will probably wash off with enough sea water and pool water, but is still flattering on skin when the sun is out. Tinted lip balms are also amazing in that they offer moisture, shine and color in a subtle low maintenance way! Just remember to reapply.

    Here I am without bright eye shadow…but still with foundation, liner and mascara. I like that I look natural in photos, but my features are accentuated!

At the end of the day, wear the amount of makeup that is comfortable for the beach. But I wanted to say that there are no rules when it comes to the amount and kind of make-up to wear…as long as there is sunscreen and waterproof versions of basic products, why not wear a bit of color to the beach to add to the beauty of the surf, with beauty of the face.

The ins and outs of being a wedding guest!

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment
After the ceremony; I was there with my son and opted for lavender colors for a summer wedding.

The wedding season is more than half done or at least the bulk of it is done, and while I love weddings–the romance and the special feeling one gets when seeing the bride walks down the isle, or the splendor of flowers and pretty place settings, and luxurious stationary paper…it’s actually kind of nice that the season is almost over. Weddings can be expensive and stressful, filled with obligations, awkward etiquette dilemnas, and seeing distant relatives that one only sees well, at weddings and funerals.

I was anticipating one event of the summer for me…My little sister’s wedding that was announced since the spring and last weekend was when she finally tied the knot with her boyfriend of many years… it was a small intimate event, simple and fun. And as a wedding guest, I didn’t have to do any intense bridesmaids duties, but as a guest there are still many rules to be observe to be a great guest. And to have a comfortable time there myself as a guest. Here are some notes I’ve made about attending weddings:

Ways to be a great wedding guest:

  1. Let the bride get her way: I think that brides, with all the stress of getting hitched and planning a wedding, they get a bit crazy and it rubs off in weird ways, on the bridal party and guests. The best thing to do is unless it is something really important, I just let her have it her way.
  2. Look good, but not too good: Let’s be honest, the day is the bride’s day, not the guests’; wearing that red hot number or, a revealing bodycon dress is not the place to go. I rather go for innocence and friendship with pretty, simple dresses that are wedding appropriate and will not outdo the bride, but still have a sense of fashion.
  3. Wear neutral make-up. I really like expressing myself with make-up, but bold trendy make-up is just too much of a statement. As a wedding guest, I feel more comfortable blending in, and not standing out.
  4. Make polite cheerful conversation even if it’s hard: I find it very unnatural to be happy all the time and it’s always when I’m feeling a bit down that someone who would care about that approaches me. All it takes is one dour expression, and you’ll end up looking too stern and risk looking like a pouty party pooper.
  5. Fashion don’ts for girls: No black or white dresses, no mini skirts, nothing overly formal that would outdo the bridal dress…no bra straps or bralettes visible, cover up shoulders during ceremony, reception can bear shoulders. I also don’t thoughtlessly wear just any old dress. I want to show some effort was involved and that I care how I look to the bride, groom and other guests.
  6. I like to look like I’m having fun, even if I am not. Accept drinks when offered, and participate in toasts, dancing, and anything else that may be happening. And remember to congratulate the bride and groom! Be a gracious guest at all times!

6 Easy Make-up Tips to keep you looking Fresh this Summer

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

So, in Toronto, as with a lot of places in North America, spring really came late, but suddenly, with our last snow storm just only 2 weeks ago!! How can we recover so fast to be able to be ready and enjoy this burst of sunshine and mild temps now that May is finally here? My make-up these days is lighter, with less layers, andless ink; my motto as always been less is more. I want to use less make-up products these days, because my eyes have been kind of puffy lately, and I’m not about to outline they are with tonnes of black liner…But I still like a made-up face when possible, and here are some easy, breezy tricks to make it look like you are effortlessly gorgeous:

Nothing says spring like a terrarium with succulents! With it some of my current cosmetic arsenals…

Top Summer make-up hacks

  1. Follow a full face make up with a blot with a kleenex tissue: This one is so important! Because in the summer, we are usually using either a foundation with SPF, or a separate SPF, and the layers of protection gets kind of oily and thick. Reduce the look of wearing a “make-up mask” by blotting with a soft tissue all over the face after applying your full make-up. The tissue catches loose pigment and excess oils that sit on top of your face, the thing that causes you to look “made up” and unnatural. I find a kleenex is better than blotting paper since it’s texture can pick up loose make-up too, and not just oil.
  2. Wear an SPF! I can’t say this enough, and it’s really just because in the late Spring, the sun is actually at it’s closest to the earth, but without the heat to signal it’s penetrating our skin! UV rays from the sun is linked to skin cancer and also sunspots, wrinkles, and skin aging. So be sure to use SPF during the spring and summer!
  3. Use the right foundation color: I know in Asia, the trend is to be lighter, and here in NA, it’s to be darker tan…but my advice is to match your actual skin color. There is never going to be a color more flattering than getting the exact shade and tone of the face. Don’t pretend to be a porcelain princess or, a tanned surfer girl, because matching your true skin color will make you look like yourself, and more natural. Even if it means mixing two shades to get it right, as I currently do…
  4. Hair Trends: When it comes to hair lightening, any level lighter than brown hair (bronde to platinum) looks best with dark roots, 1-2 inches. Having uniform color from root to tip looks very artificial for some reason, even though having roots is a sure fire sign of colored hair. But for some reason, darker roots give your face and hair more dimension and drama, and also makes lightened hair look even lighter. Be sure to soften the root line so that where the roots end doesn’t look like a harsh line. A skilled hair stylist will know how to do this if you don’t!
  5. Add a shimmer to your bottom lid: For those of you with puffy eyes, and small bags underneath them like I do these days, will appreciate this tip. Shimmery bright shadow on the bottom helps brighten and take attention away from bags by bring up the visual focus. For those who don’t use shadow on the bottom lid; always use a shadow there, even if it is a nude color. It keeps your eye make-up from smudging when you blink all day and when moisture from your eyes touches your top eye make-up.
  6. Avoid heavy mascara: Did you ever wonder why you don’t have the fluttery lashes you see in all the make-up ads when you put on mascara? Sometimes my lashes just look inky and heavy after mascara application. My quick remedy for this is to take a clean finger tip and just dab and push up on the lash right after mascara application. This will wipe off any clumps and naturally separate lashes, while evening the mascara application and keeping it light and wispy. Another bonus? It helps prevent smudging or flaking from occurring later in the day since it also removes excess black on over painted lashes. A must do.

So ya, these are my tricks I’m using to keep fresh this summer, do you agree with them? If so, you can enjoy wearing make-up this spring without looking over done, made up and weighed down. Hopefully these tips work for you and feel free to share your own tips in the comments section below!