Beauty, Product Reviews

The Body Shop Canada – Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil

vitamin-e-overnight-serum-in-oil-6-640x640

This product is really good! Many skin care specialists will tell you that in order to master a proper skin care routine you should religiously use cleanser, toner, moisturizer. This is partially true but the ‘real deal’ to sealing in moisture and I would say the fountain of youth is the use of serum or oil.

I’ve been experimenting with face oils for a few years and find that an oil pre-cleanse prior to a light foaming  face cleanser or soap works wonders!

If you’re looking for a no fuss way to deeply moisturize your skin without that heavy feeling-you may want to try Body Shop’s Overnight Serum-in-oil! It sounds greasy but isn’t at all. It soaks right into the skin and leaves it feeling velvety smooth and VERY hydrated. I see it as a awesome alternative to heavy ‘replenishing’ night creams!

After working in the beauty retail industry for a few years I can tell you that many brand ambassadors recommend night creams for women once they reach a certain age. It’s not bad per se, but the real question is: Is it necessary? Deep hydration is very important to give the skin an overall healthy tone and texture. (Drinking enough fluids also.)

Based on a commissioned study on 126 women The Body Shop found that:90% said the product feels light on the skin, 87% said that the product absorbs quickly and 70% said that the product is not greasy. All these stats are TRUE. IT is very light. I used it for about a week with incredible results only to find I was VERY allergic!!!

I broke out on my tenth night of use with pimples and rashes all over. I found out I’m incredibly allergic to Wheat Germ Oil. The oil has the highest concentration of Wheatgerm Oil in any of The Body Shop’s products. I got a red, inflamed rash on my neck, lips and also under my eyes. I realize I’ve also got highly reactive skin. I stopped using it and the breakouts subsided but I am left with scars from the breakout and the rashes. I’m currently using a Retinol based product and taking zinc tablets to help speed up the healing process.

If you’ve got a wheat germ allergy or sensitivity please be careful. This oil is so light that it soaks into the skin instantly! As a product for skin hydration and cell turnover I highly recommend it! The Body Shop has other really great serums that can still be used with great results if this one isn’t the right one for you! If you are allergic to wheat germ please try:Drops of Youth!

 

 

Beauty, Holistic Health, Product Reviews

The Body Shop Canada – Hemp Hand Oil – Intensive Care for Extra Dry Areas

Hemp Hand Oil

Spring is officially here! Dry skin and cold weather be gone! Not exactly. most of us are left with the aftermath of cold weather, dry air, hard water and loss of moisture. Hemp is known to take care of that! It’s concentrated ‘earthy’ smelling oil in a dark dropper bottle. It’s instructions specifically say ‘massage into very dry areas’. Not only is it good for dry areas but great for areas exposed to extreme temperatures.

The Body Shop’s Hemp oil is great as a scalp treatment, cuticle oil, rash salve (eczema or contact dermatitis), dry patches on elbows and between fingers. Can also be dropped  into lighter lotions for more moisture.

From The Body Shop UK website, ‘Our hemp seed oil comes from hemp plants grown in England. The plants are very fast-growing and thrive in the damp climate. According to the farmers, the plants are naturally resistant so there is no need to use pesticides’…it loos like ‘weed’, smells remotely like ‘weed’, but it is definitely not. 🙂

The Body Shop also carries a Hemp range of products in a hand cream, lip balm, foot cream and hand wash-which are all wildly popular for those who don’t like the perfumed scent. If you’ve got a sensitivity to almonds and/or almond oil; you may want to refrain from using this oil. There are other body/hand oil alternatives! If you plan on using this-please don’t ‘get high’.

 

-shine

 

 

Beauty, Holistic Health, Product Reviews

Update! Beautystat.com: AVIVA Hair Revitalizer Advanced Growth System

Just a quick UPDATE! Impressive so far! I want to re-iterate:I’ve got plenty of hair, super thick strands…..very little breakage, lots of healthy shedding and multiple textures. These are my results in 11 days:

 

  • My nails growing rapidly
  • My eyebrows also thick growing faster-need another threading appt. I usually thread my brows twice a month….not so sure about that now!
  • I’m anemic and often forget to take my iron regularly. My doctor’s warned me about not taking iron in addition to my healthy eating…..this hair revitalizer saved me.(It’s a mini-multivitamin) I’ve got more energy to work out and can wake up in the morning with less struggle! (Iron is one of the key components to proper hair growth and overall  energy)
  • The first few days my face kept breaking out and I increased my water intake and proud to say it stopped and my skin is looking like it’s healing with very little evidence left behind. Nutrient deficiency can cause problems for sensitive/reactive skin.
  • I scar VERY easily. Scars I earned a few weeks ago-scrapes, nicks are healing really well
  • My roots are growing in more curls, more thickness, couldn’t get a comb in there….looks like it’s working from the bottom….Remember kinky-curly hair grows out before it grows down lol

 

That’s all I’ve got.  I’ll post again in 3 weeks or so. Stay tuned!

 

-shine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty, Contests, Gifts, Product Reviews

The New Love2Love Fragrances: Perfect Gift Idea For Mother’s Day – #love2lovewalmart

Mix n match

Love2Love; the latest fragrance line to hit exclusively at Walmart: Love2Love, designed for women who love gorgeous fragrances at affordable prices. This private label fragrance collection from Coty Beauty is sold exclusively at Walmart — so you know it’s going to smell good.

Spritzing on the freshest scents is pretty much how we get into the springtime spirit. But sometimes it’s hard to pick just ONE scent. Luckily, the Love2Love fragrance line is composed of 4 uniquely blended scents to lets consumers express their individuality — at an incredibly affordable price. No matter the consumer’s mood or personality or preference for floral or musky notes, there’s a Love2Love scent just right for her.

Feeling extra-girly and femme? Try Orange Blossom White Musk. Inspired by a trio of oranges, this perfume has top notes of sparkling Bergamot, bitter Tunisian Orange and sweet Italian Orange. Mid-notes of Orange Blossom and soft Peony compliment the trio of oranges, while a base of smooth Blonde Cedarwood, Orris, creamy Sandlewood and White Musk embrace the citrusy aroma.

Feeling hopelessly romantic? Freesia Violet Petal captures that journey towards true love with top notes of Peach Blossom, Lily Petals and Lavender blooms. Complimenting mid-notes of Turkish Rose, Princess Rose, Violet Blossom and Freesia balance off the light floral scents, while base notes of sheer Musk, Heliotropene and a touch of Crimewood add mystery and passion.

Feeling fun and frisky? Try Jasmine Sparkling Mimosa with shimmering top notes of Peony, Raspberry and sparkling Mimosa flowers for flare, mixed with delicate mid-notes of Honeysuckle, Jasmine and Sweet Pea flowers. Round it all off with base notes of Musk, Rosewood and Almond Blossom for a lasting impression.

Feeling nostalgic and timeless? Fresh Rose Peach is a classic floral scent with top notes of Lychee, Cassis Buds and Peach Nectar, along with mid-notes of Geranium and Bulgarian Rose for substance and base notes of Orris and Musk that linger.

Spring is the perfect season to try new scents and express oneself in an aromatic way. And at the affordable price of $9.98 (for 3.4 oz) and $6.98 (240ml), try all 4 scents without going over one’s beauty budget.

Love2Love is offering consumers a chance to Design Their Dream Date to enter for a chance to win a Hawaiian vacation.

Simply visit the Love2Love brand page and choose the location, outfit, time of day and ambience to design a dream date card. Then, share the dream date with friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Use the hashtag #love2lovewalmart. Once consumers have created and shared their dream date, they’ll be entered to win the grand prize Fantasy Flyaway Date-cation OR 1 of 4 $100 Date Night Packs given out weekly.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

A round-trip to Maui, Hawaii including car rental, 7-night hotel stay at Sheraton Maui Resort and $750 in spending cash (awarded in the form of an American Express Gift Card).

17 WEEKLY PRIZE WINNERS

$100 Fandango Gift Card (to use on movie tickets) and a $75 American Express Gift Card (to spend on a night of dining and entertainment).

Enter NOW for a chance to WIN the gift cards by clicking HERE. And to enter to win the grand prize, click here on >> Walmart.com.

Brought to you by BeautyStat.com

 

Group photo

Beauty, Biography, Establishments, events, Fashion & Beauty, Movers & Shakers, Public Relations, Social Media, Toronto

Blogger Fashion Week May 5 -11: Shop Your Favourite Blogger’s Closet During Blogger Fashion Week

Toronto, ON (April 29, 2014) – Want to score the latest fashion find from your favourite blogger? Look no further! From May 5th to 11th, fashion addicts across Canada can shop the closets of 100 of Canada’s emerging and established bloggers on www.BloggerFashionWeek.com – a rare opportunity for those with a passion for fashion.

<<“I’m thrilled to participate once again in Blogger Fashion Week! Not only a fabulous way to fall in love with newly discovered Canadian blogs, Blogger Fashion Week takes fashion to a whole new level for shopping from some of the most stylish closets.” said Becky Kung, founder of Velvet & Vino, one of Canada’s top fashion bloggers>>.

Every day of Blogger Fashion Week, a limited number of bloggers’ closets will be unlocked and ready to be shopped! Several bloggers will donate up to 100% of their proceeds to their favourite non-profit or charity through Trend Trunks’ Closets & Causes Program.

“We’re looking forward to helping bloggers grow the relationship with their fans and followers through this unique campaign. It’s extremely exciting to be launching our second Blogger Fashion Week right here in Canada with such an amazing group of bloggers and sponsors!” said Sean Snyder, Founder and President of Trend Trunk.

Connect with your favourite bloggers during #BFWand get a chance to nab their personal style at www.BloggerFashionWeek.com

About Trend Trunk

Trend Trunk is an award-winning company, which has created a social community and the leading app and web-based fashion marketplace in Canada. Recently featured on the Marilyn Denis Show and Cityline, the brand also pitched their innovative concept to a panel of Canadian business moguls on CBC‘s hit show Dragon’s Den, aired in November of 2013. For more information visit www.TrendTrunk.com

 

About FASHION Magazine

Bringing the world of international fashion home to its style-conscious readers, FASHION looks at global trends, up-to-the-minute reports on what’s in Canadian stores now and expert takes on fashion, beauty and style. FASHION is the #1 fashion and beauty brand in Canada with more than 1.7 million readers of FASHION Magazine* and has Canada’s largest fashion social audience including over 514,000 Twitter followers and 213,000 Facebook likes.

*Source: PMB

 

Chinedu Egwuenu

Consumer/Lifestyle Blogger

Emai:pr.urbcomgrp@gmail.com

Sean Snyder

Founder, Trend Trunk

sean@trendtrunk.com

416-577-7326

tt

Fashion Mag

 

 

sd

Beauty, Product Reviews

The Body Shop Canada – Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil and Lip Balm

 

I’m praying for some blazing hot, sunny weather! This product  for that type of weather!  Honey Bronze Shimmering Oil is a DRY oil. People initially think it’s a self-tanner and then they cringe when they see it’s an oil. Bertholletia Excelsia Oil (Brazil Nut Oil), Avocado Oil and Honey are its main ingredients and Mica (gives it the golden tint). All these oils are cold-pressed. ‘It’s made with Community Fair Trade Honey that comes from Ethiopia. And sourced from Beza Mar – a collective of beekeepers in the remote Sheka rainforest region. Which means on its own it will never be greasy. Filler oils are usually mixed with heavier oils to create a greasy finish.

For naturally drier skin: This is not to moisturize the skin like a lotion, body butter or balm! It should be used in addition to your regular skin moisturizer to finish off your moisture routine for glow!  It absorbs right into skin and disappears..leaving the shimmer behind. (Be careful with your hands and clothes. Just like the bottle instruction says, ‘shake well’-shaking the bottle keeps the liquid  gold dispersed throughout the bottle so that when you actually put it on your skin you can see the golden shimmer. I put just enough…I could put more, the only thing is because of the honey in the product it can get a little sticky…it’s great in the heat but right now…it feels a little plastered on!

hand dipped

 

The dry oil is available in 2 glows (Honey Kissed 01 & Golden Honey 02) In comparison they 01 looks bronze like a penny and 02 looks gold like a dollar coin. I refer to them as ‘glows’ because they will not make you ‘tan’ or ‘darker’! Online it does refer to the product as ‘tan enhancer’ and I assure you it is not as heavy as coconut oil to promote a full-on tan….but it is definitely a great product! It does make you look as if  you’ve been outdoors with a healthy ‘sun-kissed’ appearance. Did I mention it has an awesome Gardenia-type fragrance perfect for replacing heavy summer perfumes!

For deep, bronze or darker tones it’s recommended you pour the dry oil into your lotion or moisturizer to capture the ‘golden’ opportunity! lol

I have to put 2 applications to have a golden glow….and it looks like I’ve actually been dipped in bronze. Ladies, if you’ve got that strapless,backless, mini dress or shorts…. You’ll love this!

 

 

 

Honey Bronze Drop

Honey Bronze Shimmering Lip Balm

It’s not exactly shimmering like the oil but it has a golden/pastel look to it! It smells great it goes on real smooth and the BEST part  is that it is nut-free! It’s main ingredient is honey and castor oil which both make my lips extremely happy! Honey does not make a sticky lip product-it is a natural humectant drawing moisture from the air. It is much harder for beauty/cosmetics companies that do not test on animals to be nut-free as well so kudos to The Body Shop! Castor Oil is great for protecting the lips from the sun and penetrates the skin better than any petroleum based product! The lip balm can be used alone for base coverage or used with a lip liner for a little dimension. For naturally neutral lip hued girls it should and can be worn alone. For deeper hued or two-tone lipped ladies like my self you should and can definitely wear it in layers or to add a different tone to a darker tinted liner or lip gloss! Great addition to the summer make up bag!

honey-bronze-shimmer-lip-balm_l

-shine

Beauty, Fashion & Beauty, Holistic Health, Knowledge, Product Reviews, theshineprjct

Beautystat.com: AVIVA Hair Revitalizer Advanced Growth System

Beauty Stat

It’s wash day Naturalistas! It’s a long production to get this hair post out  but I’m using today to detangle my wash n go curls to show my full hair length as I try a new hair supplement. It isn’t always easy to grow longer hair faster BUT it is easy to take the right supplements and eat the right foods to help take care of your hair! Growing kinky,curlier more dense hair-is a little trickier;as dryness and poor products can damage hair.

A few things I’d like to add: I juggle between flat-ironing and wearing my hair in its natural state a few times a month. It’s challenging to regulate the level of heat my hair can tolerate even with a VERY good quality ceramic iron.

You’ll notice on the left side of my head; my hair is limp and straight. The other side is tight and actually quite curly…..this is the downside to using high heat and heat frequently. In the past, I would’ve shaved my head and started again…but this blown out hair has taken me 2 years to grow out! I’ll use AVIVA to assist! lol

I’ve got about 2-3 inches of new growth on the straight side and would like to cut/taper the side and let it grow during the summer 😀 (New look!) When I do taper it….I’ll monitor the Hair Revitalizer’s efficacy!

 

One side straight, one side curly
One side straight, one side curly

 

Kesha tapered side

photo 2 tapered side

I’ve started using AVIVA Hair Revitalizer Advanced Growth System capsules for the last 4 days and there aren’t any noticeable differences…. yet. I did notice quite a few strands in my hair brush today and yesterday. Overall I’ve got a lot of hair but it isn’t thin. My hair strands are VERY THICK. My hair is between 4a/4b for those of who understand Afro hair.

One thing I have noticed while taking supplements such as MSM, Silica, Biotin, B-complex-they all maintain my hair strand density. Naturally, I have 0 breakage and tons of split ends and ‘fairy knots’. I’m trying to get better at getting more frequent trims. (I promise Adrian!) With proper eating and supplements my hair gets bigger,wider and looks heavier so it takes a while to see visible length.

 

Blow dried and curls combed out!
Blow dried and curls combed out!

I’ve decided to take photos of my hair in its wash n go state and it’s blown out or combed out state (no curls) to accurately measure the supplement’s progress.

AVIVA promises to ‘enhance and enrich for stronger, thicker and beautiful looking hair….the secret is their ‘100 drug-free, extra strength dual complex of PENTPLEX HGF and TETRA HHL’ (concoction of more potent herbs)…….beneficial ingredients include Vitamin B5, Folic Acid, Vitamin H (Biotin) 5000mcg (I’ve never taken this much Biotin at once), Silica, Iron, Zinc and Iodine — all DRUG-FREE, all-natural, fish-free ingredients to help stabilize strong and healthy hair. Along with AVIVA I also use ACES….it helps my skin and my hair! I look forward to the summer heat when both supplements will work well.

ACES and AVIVA

What interested me the most was the formulations AVIVA created for this supplement! He Shou We (Fo Ti), Ashwagandha, MSM, Long Pepper Extract, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Saw Palmetto Berry Oil, Silica——–that’s a lot of herbs in just one capsule! I take some of these separately sooooo to see them all in one capsule saves time and almost functions for me as a multi-vitamin.

I started breaking out after two days of usage which is a sign that the capsules ARE working-however, I had to increase my water intake to 10-12 large glasses of water a day instead of 8 to filter out the excess in my system and because I work out! I believe the Biotin and MSM component is the pimple culprit!

I’ll go into specifics for my next update about what I use. I have an arsenal of products that I use (not all at the same time!)

  • Joico Smooth Cure Sulphate-Free Shampoo for curly/frizzy/coarse hair (no bubbles, its great!)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar (gets rid of product build up/diluted with tons of water)
  • Arm and Hammer Baking Soda (diluted with tons of water)
  • Jamaican Black Castor Oil
  • Dabur Amla Hair Oil
  • Organic Root Stimulator Nourishing Sheen Spray (lasts a year or more)
  • Hemp Hand Oil (The Body Shop) —- I use it on my scalp
  • Aussie Moist Revitalizing Conditioner (amazing)

hair arsenal

Use code AVIVAbstat14 to receive a 20% discount and FREE shipping on a 30-Day Supply product purchase of AVIVA Hair Revitalizer at www.avivahair.com.

This item was provided for review courtesy of www.beautystat.com.
-shine

Beauty, Holistic Health, Product Reviews

The Body Shop Canada – Tea Tree Squeaky-Clean Scrub

Tea Tree Scrub

Just in time for warmer weather to help shed dead, dull skin and not only on the face! Body Shop’s SQUEAKY CLEAN SCRUB is a new addition to the longstanding pore-removing tea-tree line. This scrub has replaced what they used to have (BLACKHEAD EXFOLIATING WASH) which was thicker with coarser grains made of apricot pits; which is much too harsh for the face.

It’s got a very fresh scent (tea tree oil, lemon extract,peppermint oil) and washes very clean! The tea-tree oil is Community Fair Trade Oil from Kenya and stem-distilled to pull out the oil used in all the tea-tree oil based products!

The East Coast dry winter weather made my combination oily skin oilier on top and reactive beneath the top layer. I broke out constantly this season. This wonderful clear scrub is great at removing dead skin cells and penetrating large and constricted  pores to minimize potential and existing breakouts.

I’ve used it now for about 6 weeks and I’m seeing clarity I haven’t seen in a few months. I alternate with OBAGI foaming cleanser and really concentrate mostly on my acne-prone areas (cheeks and chin). The granules in this scrub can withstand tons of water and really helps to buff the skin.

Many skin care brands are found to produce face and body-scrub products with man-made materials, detrimental to our water ways and wildlife (fish,birds). It is wonderful to see and feel that The Body Shop has made a scrub in which the beads melt as the product foams.(No synthetic granules)

I believe this new squeaky-clean scrub is an incredible upgrade because of it’s clear consistency. The previous formula was pasty and could still cause breakouts with combination/ reactive skin.

 

scrub on hand

It lathers quickly and  remains lathered for a long time! Not much is required unless you need to scrub your neck! This scrub is so good it can be used all over the body including any acne-prone or sweat zone areas on the body! It is great for the back and shoulders after a workout or when summer arrives!

It’s main ingredient (Melaleuca) is great for keeping intimate areas clean after waxing and shaving. Great for bikini lines and underarms and to prevent ingrown hair!

If you like clean, fresh smelling products this is for you! If you love tea-tree oil,this will be a hit. Don’t worry it’s not only for ‘blemished skin’.

 

The Body Shop Logo

 

*If you like this product review there are more Body Shop products to follow…stay tuned 🙂

-shine

 

 

Beauty, events, Product Reviews

Beautystat.com: Allure’s Breakthrough Product of the Year Award – Coolway True Smooth™ Hairspray

Beauty Stat

Coolway Logo

 

 

Coolway Clear Res

 

I’m not sure how many ‘naturalistas’ out there blow-dry between braid-ups and comb outs; I’m constantly looking for the proper products to put in my natural hair to protect from burn and damage since my hair is not chemically treated or relaxed. I have fairly thick hair with thick strands.My hair uses quite a bit of blow-drying to dry and straighten. If it got my kinky-curly 4B-4C hair straight it’s perfect for straightening all hair types!

Before I used it I checked the label:

Anthemis nobilis (Chamomile) flower,Urtica dioica (Nettle) leaf, Rosa damascena flower, Porphyra yezoensis (red algae),  Dimethicone, Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Panthenol, Glycerine,  Cannibis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil

Mostly all natural main ingredients. I saw one ‘cone’ and thought it could be drying to my hair. The ‘cone’ is probably what helped cut down the blow dry time down by about 15 mins! My hair dried VERY fast! My hair wasn’t as smooth but it’s expected because the ingredients are more natural.

°Coolway has won 6 beauty awards, including the prestigious Allure Breakthrough Product of the Year Award and  recently launched its NEW True Smooth™ spray, featuring a new technology that allows you to avoid using a flat-iron altogether! I did use a flat-iron and usage made the process quicker!

For black natural hair flat ironing and curling is always a two-step process for styling…..I still had my blow-dried hair  flat ironed as well. The result was super shiny, bouncy and better hold of the hairstyle for a few days! Ladies use a proper hair serum to seal in the moisture and you’re good to go!

The perma-hold on a windy day without hairspray was VERY impressive! Let me show you the results:

Hair washed

Blow dry

Taken from the package descritption: True Smooth™ contains °Coolway’s groundbreaking Amino Lock MAB molecule, which is activated by your own blow dryer to hold your style from the inside of the hair as you are drying it. You’ll get the same smooth, frizz-free results you would get from a flat-iron without the damage and actually using one. True Smooth™ customers are calling it “a blow-dry bar in a bottle.” (This is true)It is even clinically proven to strengthen hair up to 4Xs and reduce breakage by 75%!

Smooth and shiny-half the time!
Smooth and shiny-half the time!

It’s good stuff. Give the True Smooth™ spray a try! Great Summer product!

Use code BeautyStat14 to receive a 10% discount on all °Coolway purchases at www.coolwayhair.com (not including shipping revenue and taxes).

This item was provided for review courtesy of Beautystat.com

 

Till next time,

-shine

Special thanks goes to Shanna Thornhill at Depicted Beauty for testing the product and styling my hair!

Beauty, Biography, Fashion & Beauty, Product Reviews, Toronto, women & entrepreneurship

After 18 years it was all worth it!!

I found out about her after seeing the work she had done on a photo shoot! I could see how swiftly she applied make up on the model-like she’d be doing it for years.

I met up with Dionne Lafond and was immediately floored at how long she worked at MAC cosmetics. She started her career at MAC 18 years ago in Ottawa, Canada at a time when the company was a young, innovative addition to retail and beauty industries in this country. She wasn’t necessarily keen on make up artistry- but was able to pick up skills quickly through her general curiosity to learn. When I asked her to tell me about her career she closes her eyes and said, ‘Let me think…….there’s so much-I can’t remember’. She looks incredibly young for a lady whose career spanned 20 years at the ‘trend-setting organization’.

DIONNE LAFOND
Dionne Lafond


A friend who worked for MAC who thought she had style + solid retail work experience recommended she apply for a job there. Once she applied she got the job with an aim to watch, practice and learn. She embraced the different opportunities outside of the retail floor to practice skills discovered from being at MAC.

She embraced many opportunities to take part in so many ‘fashion meets charity’ causes affiliated with MAC. She worked at the very first Fashion Cares fashion show, the MAC AIDS fund show, L’Oreal Fashion Week-And in the late 90’s she did quite a few notable music videos!

It’s through her love of creating  and learning that she’s realized she loves to teach. She prefers to teach skills and techniques to students. After so many years of learning and building her expertise it became less interesting. With her love of teaching, she explains ‘I gain customer/client trust with trust I can show them how to make visual changes’. i.e. eyebrows, lip colour, blush

So what’s in store for Ms. Lafond MUA? She is currently participating in a  hair styling for make up artists program at George Brown College in Toronto and looks so excitedly forward to embrace this change. She had a general energy about her and any client would be excited to get dolled up! She continues to freelance for new and longtime clients.

So of course, I took the chance to ask her what was trending in make up this year and her are some trends she mentioned from runway, fashion spread to client requests:

kim kardashian contour            nicki minaj

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lafond says ‘All women regardless of look or ethnicity enjoy the contouring and exaggerated fully made face it’s great for the camera’.

peachy tones, complementary for eyes and lips almost natural
Another spring trend is the peachy almost nude tone complementary to one’s skin tone

nude black girl look

nude_makeupmuted asian make up

funky cat eye 2                      funky cat eye

LOR

LORDE CAT EYE
The funky cat eye as seen on the runway and on singer Lorde

 

Her sound advice for those trying to get and stay in the game:

  • Times have changed things aren’t the way they were. The competition is stiff. Keep this in mind.
  • Get stuff published or at least ensure the projects you’re working  on get published-to get published means it’s decent work!
  • Always work on your craft, never stop learning.
  • Find other artists who inspire you-you don’t have to copy them per se but you can learn skills and techniques that they use (her inspirations are Sir John, Francesca Tolot, Lucia Pieroni and Pat McGrath).
  • About make up application for clients or for yourself-remember to keep it simple….it’s okay to pare it down and keep it clean!

She does make-up for all occasions and can be contacted at dlafond@icloud.com!

-shine