I am in a huge makeup slump. I’ve never worn a lot, but I think I’m ready to learn how to properly dress up my face now and then. Especially my eyes – how beautiful is that whole look above? There are just so many brands to choose from. Which makeup counters give the best makeovers guys? Fill me in!
photo Jill Willcott
You all know I’m from Newfoundland. I mean, I talk about it often enough. It’s where I came from and where my heart still is (I love you Toronto but I love my family more). If you know someone from The Rock, you’ve probably heard them refer to Newfoundland as ‘Home’. That’s what we call it when we’re talking to each other. “The last time I was home…” or ”He just came back from home…”, like that.
It’s hard to explain. Nancy Riche puts it best. She was (rest in peace, Nancy) “.. a feminist, a socialist, an activist, a trade unionist and a firm advocate for Newfoundland and Labrador. She worked in Ottawa for 18 years, but when she retired, she could only come home.” (taken from the Independent)
You can skip to the 3:20 mark to hear Nancy’s thoughts on Home (but you should listen to the whole thing because she’s fucking rad).
Now take a tour of my hometown with our hometown heroes, Hey Rosetta! (you should know them pretty well by now, too).
Minus the cod and the screech, if you made it through this post and are now dying to visit NFLD, consider yourself officially welcome.
I’m probably late to the party on this one but Joe Fresh Makeup – WOW!
Not only is it inexpensive (I mean, you won’t even flinch, inexpensive) but the products are pretty exceptional. I’m particularly obsessed with the nail polish ($4), cheek tint ($4) and their tinted lip balm ($8).
I couldn’t find any ingredient details so the Paraben Police are still out but until then, I’m stocking up. Too fun!
This in Peach – my new favourite
Cherry. Amazing.
Have you guys tried this stuff??
I recently picked up a pair of barely worn Swedish Hasbeens from a yard sale for a hundred bucks. I know that seems like a lot for a yard sale, but these shoes typically go for about $300 so it was a deal (don’t argue with me!).
Super-high t-straps – about 4 inches. Add that to my 5’9 (and then some) frame and I’m over six feet. Question: Do I care? Answer: Not whatsoever.
I love these shoes. They are incredibly comfortable and so, so cute. The quality of the make is impressive – natural leather means the wearing-in process is slow but moulds completely to your foot – and they have a vintage/Scandinavian feel that I’m into. Like I want to wear them with tights and a huge, chunky-knit fisherman’s sweater on a chilly day.
A little bit Sarah Maingot
Am I right?
Slowly but surely, natural oils are becoming a key ingredient in some of my favourite beauty products. I love the way they make my hair and skin look and I’m especially sold on oil for my face (I still can’t get over that after years of using astringents, I’m now voluntarily putting oil ON my face).
Here are a few oils I’m swearing by:
Alba’s Kukui Nut body oil is organic, affordable, smells amazing and is multi-purpose. I use it all over at night before bed or I’ll put about 1/2 oz in the bath to moisturize. I’ll also use it after blow drying on my ends to tame the feathering lightened hair tends to do. (Hint: Don’t towel-off completely before applying the oil to your body. Leaving skin a little damp helps the product spread)
I trust Josie Maran because she’s beautiful. And because she is a stickler for quality product that is completely free of harmful ingredients. Argan oil became hugely popular and accessible with the Moroccan Oil line of hair products. I’m not a huge fan of that line in particular so I use Maran’s concentrated Argan Oil instead. It’s fantastic for cuticles and on the ends of my hair. Plus the travel-size bottle is super convenient.
I went for a facial at Pure + Simple about six weeks ago (I’m saving the blog post when I return for my follow-up) and was informed that my facial redness, while absolutely to do with surface capillaries and a bit of rosacea, is a direct result of a Pitta Dosha imbalance. The oil contains Neem, Bringraj + German Chamomile – all anti-inflammatory (I believe the base is jojoba). I apply the oil every night after cleansing and I use the opportunity to really massage it into my skin. I’ve seen a big difference in the overall ‘plumpness’ of my skin as well as a decrease in redness. Thumbs up!
I love love love this product for my hair. Unlike the other oils I’ve listed, this product isn’t organic or particularly great for me (I can’t pronounce the first four ingredients) but it’s one of those things I just have to have. It uses a mix of Palm and Shorea oils as well as silicone to tame frizz and smooth out my hair. I never use a straightening iron anymore. I don’t need to. I have Oleo.
Skin and hair oils are also easy to make – just make sure you have a base that is easily absorbed (like jojoba) so that whatever blend you do gets through the dermis and doesn’t clog your pores. I also love having coconut oil around – it makes a great skin moisturizer, hair masque and you can even cook with it.
If I had to pick one though, I’d choose this as the best oil there is:
Forever and always.
Am I missing anything?
Dressing “sexy” has never really been my thing. The bandage dresses and vicose skirts trotting around my end of town never inspire me to dial it up. I think sexy is in the details: refined edge, a peek of unexpected skin, perfectly simple and timeless accessories, loose, texturized hair and, most importantly, a quiet confidence.
Things I aspire to – the latter most of all.
Last weekend I had the awesome opportunity to visit SweetGrass Spa for Eyelash Extensions. I know. You’re dying right? Lash extensions, because I’m worth it. Anywho:
Located below the Verity Club and next to George restaurant on Queen Street East, SweetGrass is entirely underground. There’s something about the hidden-away cavernous space that’s extremely serene. Even the pool feels a bit like a grotto (chlorine-free!). The décor is up my ally too, with overstuffed arm chairs and big, wooden tables adorned with flickering candles. Guests who aren’t members of Verity (like me) are invited to use the amenities which include the aforementioned oxygenated pool, hot tub and infrared sauna. Or you can do like I did and just lay on a comfy chair and go zen until your appointment.
Dying for this chair. Pink fish! I’m not kidding, you come to this place and you just want to curl up in beauty heaven forever.
OK so I’ll stop gushing about how much I loved the spa styling and tell you guys about my treatment – Bambi Lashes!
Laura Hippensteel was my Eyelash Extension Artist. Artist really is the word for it. She looked at what I was working with, asked me about the kind of look I was hoping to achieve (natural, not too dramatic) and then explained how she was going to make it happen. The entire process takes roughly 90 minutes and you lay on your back with your eyes closed the entire time. I was told most people tend to fall asleep during the process and while I didn’t, I can totally see how that would be possible. Nothing hurts. It feels like someone gently touching the tips of your lashes so, essentially, you feel nothing.
Me before. Apologies for the super close-up.
The Application: Laura chose a mix of J and B lashes for my extensions. J being a straighter lash and B having a bit more curl. If you’re going for a big, dramatic lash, those would be the D lashes. She also did a mix of dark brown and black since my natural lashes aren’t as dark as most. Each lash is affixed, by hand, to an existing eyelash. It’s glued to the lash so at no point is anything coming in contact with your skin.
The Result:
Mascara-free!
Do you love it? I reeeeeally loved. Still am loving it. Every time a lash falls out it’s like a little death (our eyelashes fall out on the regular at different times which is why you need to go back for a fill as early as two weeks after the initial application).
The Verdict: Getting and maintaining the extensions isn’t cheap. It’s a delicate process and you want to make sure you go to a pro (like Laura) who applies lashes individually (if you ever go to a place that applies more than one lash at time – RUN). The result, however, is so worth it. I feel like I have a full face of makeup on when I wake up in the morning (in a good way not in a I-drank-too-much-and-didn’t-wash-my-face-last-night way) and my lashes look totally natural, not fake. Interested? For more information about the SweetGrass lash extension experience, click here.
So what do you think of my Bambi eyes? And would you ever consider getting lash extensions?
Obviously I’m kidding but I did try to steal her steez for my sister’s second wedding in Edmonton, Alberta. The dress was Halston (usually not a fan but the colour blue was too perfect) and the hair was in a high bun (using the bun sponge thingy).
That’s about the only element of this trip I can compare with the lifestyle of CB. I mean, Edmonton. Not even! St. Albert. Quite pretty in the we-all-make-and-spend-mad-dough kind of way – lots of sculpted suburbs and places to shop. I even visited the biggest mall in the worrrrrld. OK maybe not the biggest anymore. Aside from watching my Mother scream for Jesus on the roller coaster (best!), it was just so-so. More of an amusement park than shopping centre. But I digress. Carrie! Pictures!
Right after the hairdressers. I realized I don’t really have the face for a high bun but by then it was too late. I was going with it!
The overall.
And in action.
In summary: I probably would do the bun thing again but maybe a little less polished/more tousled. What do you think? How’d I do? And how could I make it better next time?
Today is my Friday since tomorrow I fly to Edmonton for my sister’s second wedding (blessing, pardon me). I’m still homeless but the walls are up in my apartment and I’m hoping that next week might be THE week I get to finally go home. I’m dead sick of living out of suitcases and, while the Delta Chelsea is a nice place to crash, Younge and Dundas is not. Get me out of here!
My most important item to pack for this trip is:
This is going to make all my Carrie Bradshaw full, high bun dreams come true. You basically plop it on your head and cover it with your hair and, voila, insta-bun. To clarify, this is the look I’m going for:
And like Carrie Bradshaw (circa Season 1-3), I am too frazzled to do normal things like book colour touch-ups in time so in brassy desperation, I took Courteney Cox’s advice and tried this:
L’oreal Brass Banisher. It works guys. Clariol makes a brunette version.
I know! I was surprised too. I better pull this look together. Wish me luck.
