If You’re a Busy Mom, These Tips Will Help You Streamline Your Morning Beauty Routine

How to Simplify Your A.M. Beauty Routine

Since Mother’s Day is around the corner, it’s a good time to acknowledge how busy mothers juggle their time between work, family, and personal obligations.

If you’re a time-challenged Mom or know someone who’s burning the candle on both ends, here are some tips from the founder of Skinn Cosmetics, Dimitri James, to simplify your morning beauty routine.

Skin Care Tips

• Stick to the “essentials”. Find one gentle yet effective cleanser that removes dirt, oil, makeup, and mascara and leaves your skin feeling clean and refreshed. You’ll also want to use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15.
• Use a cleansing brush or soft washcloth to eliminate the need for eye makeup removers, toners, and scrubs. To brighten your complexion, exfoliate, and extract blackheads, try is the Skinnsonic High Frequency Cleansing System. Get more details about the system here.

Real Housewives of Vancouver Mary Zilba Launches Buff Beauty

All Natural Colours for a Sheer Dewy Look

This season, The Real Housewives of Vancouver is all about taking sides.

Whether you’re Team Jody or Team Mary, if you love an all-Canadian beauty line, you’ve got to pull for Mary Zilba’s latest venture into the world of cosmetics.

Coming to the Shopping Channel on Friday, April 12th, Buff Beauty is all about enhancing beauty instead of covering it up. The line is designed for everyone, but especially for women on-the-go.

Two New Lash Growers for Sensitive Eyes

Next Wave of Lash-Growing Potions

If you’ve been avoiding lash enhancers because of eye sensitivity, here are two brand new products that are non-irritating and dermatologist tested.

NeoStrata Enhancer Serum

This serum uses the latest in apple stem cell technology to extend the life cycle of lashes.

The triple-action treatment increases lash length, volume, and strength.

Expect to see visibly lengthened lashes in about two weeks and thicker lashes in two months.

Prevage Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum

This serum is the Rolls Royce of lash enhancers.

The anti-aging formula, which targets the loss of eyelashes as you age, contains a cocktail of ingredients to help improve the look of lashes. These ingredients include peptides, vitamins, and antioxidants.

New Mad Men Collaboration with Estée Lauder

Sheer, Shimmery Pastels for Lips and Nails

Mad Men’s sixth season (and second to last season) is set to premiere with a two-hour episode on April 7.

To honor the occasion, Estée Lauder has just introduced a second partnership with the nostalgic 60′s series.

The new collection features a pink palette this time and includes:

• See-Thru Blush in Light Snow
• Rich, Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic
• Nail Lacquer in Pink Paisley

Target Your Eye Area with Laser Focus

New Clinique Eye Cream Passes the “Smile Test”

Clinique did so well with their Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector (the serum has 63% of the wrinkle reducing power of a laser treatment) that the company decided to create a wrinkle-fighting serum for the eye area.

The Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream is uniquely designed to help repair the visible signs of aging around your eyes.

When testing how the serum addressed smile lines around the eyes, results found a noticeable 54% reduction in smile lines around the eye area after 12 weeks.

Spring Fever: Are You Ready for These Spring 2013 Makeup Trends?

Go Big or Go Home

In Vancouver, you can smell spring in the air. It’s the perfect time to get ready for your spring makeup palette.

Here are a couple of Spring 2013 trends on the horizon.

Big Blush

As a throwback to the 90′s, blush is back in a big way.

To get the best effect for the upcoming season’s blushing trend, apply blush to the apples of your cheeks for a flushed look. One long lasting and pretty new blush to try is Lancome’s Blush in Love.

Aqua

If you don’t have blue eyes, you can still jump on the aqua trend for shadow. You can either swipe your whole lid with the color or just apply to your lash line. Try Estee Lauder’s Intense Kajal Eyeliner Duo in Black/Blue to get the look.

High Drama Lashes

If you haven’t got the picture yet, I’ll spell it out for you. Spring makeup is about drama. If you’ve never tried false lashes yet, now is the time to try on a pair like Benefit’s pin up lashes. Or, skip the faux lashes and try  Clinique’s High Impact Waterproof Mascara for a deep black effect.

Trend Alert: High Drama Mascara

Long Wearing, Dramatic Lashes

Big lashes are definitely one of the hottest crazes for this year.

If you don’t want to wade into false eyelash territory, you can try a high drama mascara.

Clinique’s mascaras are always stand-outs and their latest High Impact Waterproof Mascara is no exception. This mascara is all about dramatic lashes that last despite humid weather or sweaty workouts (hello Hot Yoga).

What’s unique about this mascara is its lash lengthening base of polymers that instantly build volume and condition lashes making them feel soft. The brush also helps to create the magic with its exclusive design made of solid, stiff fibers that easily comb through your lashes.

If you have an active lifestyle, the water repellant film in this mascara will evenly coat your lashes and prevent moisture, without giving up on volume and length. And don’t worry about removing the mascara because it easily comes off with makeup remover.

High Impact Waterproof Mascara is available in Black and can be found at Clinique counters nationwide and at www.clinique.com.

The Newest Member of the Clinique Chubby Stick Collection

Sheer, Buildable, Long-Wearing Colour

Clinique’s Chubby Stick collection has been such a hit, it’s not surprising that the company is introducing their latest member of the team: Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes.

Just like their lip counterparts, the Chubby Stick Shadow Tints are portable and deliver creamy colour in  a silky formula that stays on your lids without dusting on your cheeks or getting stuck in the crease. The lightweight crayon with Vitamin E also means that you can create all kinds of looks without tugging and pulling.

MAC Archie’s Girls Collection is Launching Soon!

Do You Have a Soft Spot for Archie and the Gang?

The Archie’s Girls collection for spring is coming to a MAC counter near you soon and it looks great!

The line comes in two contrasting MAC color collections:

* Girl next door softer shades (à la Betty)

* Sophisticated rich girl vampier shades (à la Veronica)

It’s not just that the makeup packaging is super cute like the Eye Shadow X4 palette with shades like Pin-Up Purple, Spoiled Rich, Ron Ron Run, and Gravel.

Accessories like the Yours Forever Tote, the Jingle Jangle Coin Purse, and the the Young Hearts Mirror are trinkets you may want to pick up too.

Zooey Deschanel’s High Shine Lip Color at the Golden Globes

New Girl Star on the Red Carpet

Zooey Deschanel had a fun, easy look at this year’s Golden Globes compared to some of the more elaborate makeup and fashion other attendees showed off.

Deschanel wore a red Oscar De la Renta gown with a ’60s style ponytail that definitely wasn’t overdone.

Her makeup artist, Jorjee Douglas, commented on her ’60s style: “We always love to go very ’60s with Zooey’s makeup, so we looked to Brigitte Bardot and Twiggy for inspiration.”

Jennifer Aniston’s Hair and Makeup Stole the Show at the People’s Choice Awards

39th People’s Choice Awards: Red Carpet Style

Love it or hate it, Jennifer Aniston’s Christian Dior leather dress created a lot of buzz at the People’s Choice Awards.

However, this year’s favorite comedic actress’ makeup and hair were really the standout at the PCA.

Here are the products Aniston used to put her red carpet look together.

To achieve straight, glossy hair (no frizz allowed) that brought out her highlights and lowlights, Jennifer’s stylist celebrity hair stylist, Chris McMillan, applied a combo of Living Proof styling products: Full Thickening Mousse and No Frizz Weightless Styling Spray.

Aniston’s makeup was definitely a Chanel home run. On her eyes, Chanel makeup artist, Angela Levin, applied shimmering shadows in neutral and plum from the Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow palette in Vanities. The slightly smoky shades were the perfect choice for her edgy look.

Gotta Have This: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Six Naked Neutrals (including Four Never-Before-Seen Shades)

I’ve been lusting after the Naked palette since the first one came out, but resisted due to the sparkle in the original and Naked 2 shadows.

I’m glad I did because I’m now ready for the basics palette which has everything you need for the perfect neutral matte eye.

The versatile shades in the Naked Basics palette comes in a compact that’s perfect for travel, so you’ll never have to be without these very wearable shades.

Each shadow features Urban Decay’s proprietary blend of ingredients that make the shadows velvety in texture, rich in color, and extremely blendable.

Beauty Trends for 2013

Keep Your Eyes on These New Beauty Trends

Thanks for stopping by The Blush Stops Here. Happy new year to all my fabulous readers!

Here are some beauty trends can look forward to for 2013.

Bangs are the Latest Hair Accessory

Kate Middleton took the plunge and so did mama-to-be Kim K. towards the end of the year.

Making even more of an impact in 2013, you’ll see a lot of runway and celebrity looks with blunt (sheepdog) bangs. The good thing about long bangs is that you can do double duty and angle them to the side for a softer look.

Nourishing Oils for the Hair and Face

Have you tried any of the latest oils on your hair yet? Argan oil from Morocco has been around for a few years in products like MoroccanOil shampoo and Josie Maran’s Argan Cleansing Oil.

You’ll see exotic oils in other products as well this year, even foundation like Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Skin Perfector which is currently getting raves.

Drew Barrymore’s New Affordable Colour Cosmetics Line

Prestige Makeup at Walmart

Drew Barrymore is partnering with manufacturing firm Maesa Group and launching a colour cosmetics line called Flower.

The line will be available exclusively at Walmart in January 2013.

The line of 181 products will be priced from $4.98 to $13.98. It includes 70 items for the face, 44 for eyes, 51 for lips, and 16 for nails. The face products will feature a proprietary botanical  “soft focus complex” to enhance your skin’s glow.

Easy Ways to Glam it Up for the Holidays

These Three Products Will Get You Ready in a Flash

If you’re party hopping this holiday season, here are some easy ways to change your look from day to night.

Skinn Precision Eyeliner (Jet Black)

The quickest way to add drama to your eyes  is by adding deep black eyeliner.

Skinn’s newest eyeliner combines the ease of a pencil and the wear of a liquid. The tip is super soft but covers the bases whether you draw a simple line along your lashes or a bold winged style. I found this eyeliner super easy to use which is a bonus since the ink stays put all day long!

Want to Make Sure Your Eyeshadow Doesn’t Budge? This Potion is the Ultimate Eye Prep

Primer That Provides the Perfect Canvas

For those who plan on burning the candle at both ends this holiday season, makeup that stays in place could be your new BFF.

With the latest dramatic eye looks this fall, a primer is a must have if you want to make sure your shadow and liner lasts.

The Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an easy to use shadow primer packaged in a new squeeze tube that delivers the precise amount of product.

Stila’s New Eye Shadow Palette is Written in the Stars

Limited Edition Winter Eye Shadow Palette

You can always count on Stila to come up with a dreamy eye shadow palette.

Their latest palette features a star-shaped pattern with 12 neutral eye shadow shades that you can mix and match.

Perfect for any day or evening holiday look, the dozen shadows can be worn both wet and dry for countless looks.

You’ll Be Dreaming about the Debbie Harry Eye And Cheek Palette

Pop Star Meets Pop Artist

Limited edition personality-based makeup palettes are steaming hot this fall.

If you didn’t get in on the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection (I was hoping to score the Beauty Powder but it’s sold out), you may want to check out the limited edition NARS Debbie Harry Eye and Cheek Palette.

For those who grew up in the 80s, this collection will have even more meaning as you probably love the 80s rock star look.

The eye and cheek palette features four bold eye shadow shades and two every day blush shades. The eye shades are on the shimmery side which makes sense since it’s evoking the glamor and grit of Debbie Harry’s downtown scene.

MAC Can Help Up Your Fabulousness for the Holidays

Holiday Goodness from MAC

If you want to be fabulous over the holidays, check out the MAC counter this month for their Fabulousness collection.

The holiday collection includes a wide range of MAC favorites in
satin-tufted compacts to add a touch of modern romance.

Here’s an overview of the collection:

• Devine Desires/Sinfully Chic compacts feature an interior mirror include Powder Blush, Lipstick, Lipglass, Technakohl Liner, and 129SE Powder/Blush Brush.

• Fabulousness Eye Shadow compacts feature a palette of five coordinated colours that blend for a soft or deeply dramatic holiday look in Warm Eyes/Neutral Eyes/Smoky Eyes.

•  All for Glamour Colourways face and touch up kits include Bronzing Powder, Eye Shadows, and Lipstick or Blot Powder/Pressed and Sheen Supreme Lipstick.

Drugstore Find for Colossal Cat Lashes

Lash Volume with a Feline Edge

If you love the cat eyes look but have trouble making it happen, Maybelline’s latest addition to the Volum’Express line could be the answer.

The Colossal Cat Eyes Volum’Express mascara, which comes in a jungle yellow tube with orange leopard prints, features a claw-inspired brush designed to grab lashes and coat them with black pigment.

The curved tip of the brush looks different from other mascara you may use but does a good job of separating and lengthening lashes with a collagen injected formula (don’t forget to grab the lashes at the corners of your eyes for an extra feline effect).

Smoky Eyes in a Flash

New Techniques to Enhance Smoky Eyes

Even though smoky eyes have been around for a couple of years, you may still be struggling to get just the right look.

You can create an updated smoky eye look in a snap using Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour.

For a casual look, use the colour stick as a thicker eyeliner (then smudge with a brush or your finger, if you like).

For a mono lid look, swipe your favorite shade across your lid then blend out the creamy consistency into the crease.

According to Instyle, Sarah Jessica Parker used the Jungle shade (a deep olive green) to create a subtle rock-and-roll look for her recent appearance on Glee.

A Neutral Palette That Won’t Break the Bank

All the Neutrals You’ll Need in a Single Compact

Bold makeup colors may come and go, but neutral shades will always live on in my heart (maybe, it’s the Kim K. in me).

I’ve lusted after many neutral palettes like Urban Decay’s Naked Palette (champagne to gritty gunmetal shades) and the Bobbi Brown Ultra Nude Eye Palette (six classic Bobbi nude shades), but they both come in at a hefty price.

This weekend, I found a neutral makeup palette that rocked the competition and didn’t empty my wallet, either.

The New Neutral Face Palette from Joe Fresh has all the essential shades for a neutral look for your eyes, cheeks, and lips. The makeup palette contains three shadows, a blush, highlighter, and two shades of gloss.

It’s the Perfect Timing for the September Issue Eyeshadow Palette

This Palette is a Page Turner

Now that it’s September, it’s time to turn over a new leaf when it comes to your eye makeup.

BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow The September Issue not only includes pure and intense shades, it combines BareMinerals’ proprietary SeaNutritive Mineral™ Complex with antioxidants, caffeine, and cucumber (who knew).

All of these ingredients are known to deliver anti-aging benefits including a reduction in the appearance of puffiness and a softer, more revitalized eye area.

Although the formula looks like a powder, it has a buttery texture that features a smooth application with lasting power.

The Best Brow Pen Ever and How You Can Use it to Get the Latest Brow Look

The Most Natural Brow Pen

You’ve probably heard the mantra that brows can make your face.

Take a look at some of the hottest celebrities right now (Olivia Wilde and Emma Stone come to mind), and you know they’ve had a brow makeover at some point in their career.

If you don’t have perfect brows (who does) and have a few common brow issues, like overplucked areas or sparse hairs at the ends, you can still get polished brows with the right tool.

Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color is an easy-to-use brow pen that leaves your brows naturally defined.

The precision felt tip, which is the key to this tool, glides on easily and doesn’t smudge. The unique formulation mimics your brows and lets you easily get into sparse areas and lengthen brows without overdoing it.

Pump Up the Volume on Your Lashes

Volume Does Matter!

Luscious lashes aren’t just about length.

To create high impact lashes, you also need to add volume.

High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara by Clinique can instantly build up your lashes for a more dramatic and voluminous look.

The secret to this extreme volume-building mascara is two-fold.

First, the mascara features an oversized multi-dimensional brush with greater reaching power to make your lashes pop.

A Delicious Fall Collection from Shu Uemura

Choco-inspired Makeup Collection

I’m a big fan of the Shu Uemura eyelash curler (it’s the best there is for lasting and lifting lash curl).

Now, that the international cosmetics brand will be launching a fall makeup collection called Chocolat-Donna, that’s definitely drawn my chocoholic attention.

The limited edition collection is designed to evoke your most precious moments, like a piece of chocolate, and celebrate your delicious future.

Eyeshadow Palette

The eye palette looks the most indulgent with an assortment of six preset shades that look like a luxurious box of chocolates. The colors come in:

• Orange & Pistachio–gold, mint, vanilla and 3 brown tones
• Raspberry & Mocha–coffee, pink, soft pink, purple, medium and dark brown
• Mint & Vanilla–orange, pistachio green, beige and 3 brown tones

Healthy Mascara That’s Actually Good for Your Lashes

Cruelty-free Mascara with Fewer Preservatives

If you’re like me, you’ll do just about anything to your lashes to make them look luscious and long.

In the process of making them look better, you may actually be damaging your lashes or hurting your eyes.

LUSH has the answer if you’re looking for mascara that not only makes your lashes look good but doesn’t hurt your eyes.

Eyes Right mascara uses a fresh wheatgrass base which conditions, nourishes, and strengthens the lashes. The bottled mascara also contains Japan and Carnauba waxes to help the color set and hold so there’s no smudging due to humidity or rain. 

Lily Cole’s Makeup Line for The Body Shop

Special Edition Makeup Range

Actress Lily Cole has teamed up with The Body Shop to create a cruelty-free makeup line.

Lily Cole is the first ever brand advocate for The Body Shop, which makes sense as she believes in combining “business and consumer power to cause positive change.”

All of the products in the limited edition collection are vegetarian and 100% cruelty-free. But that doesn’t mean the line is boring.

Some of the products in cute pink packaging include the Lip & Cheek Dome, which can be applied directly to lips and cheeks (like a lip gloss) for a hint of colour in Pinch Me Pink or Cray for Coral (this is Lily’s favorite product).

Would You Llike to Be One of Archie’s Girls?

New MAC and Archie Collaboration

Are you willing to admit that you read Archie comics? OK, I’ll do it for you.

I loved, loved reading about Betty and Veronica (and even Mr. Vain, Reginald Mantle).

MAC Cosmetics knows we love us some Archie so they’ve teamed up with Archie Comics for Archie’s Girls, a collection celebrating the looks of Betty and Veronica.

Nars Beach Lover Kit Will Help You Get an Island Glow

Bronze Glow Courtesy of NARS

Since the official start of summer happens this week, it’s time to get your bronzed goddess look together.

We’ve already covered how to get wavy, summer textured hair. Now it’s time to think makeup.

If you’re smart, you won’t be scorching under the hot summer rays.

Instead, you’ll be wearing makeup that brings out a sun-kissed glow.

The NARS Beach Lover set has just want you need to achieve an island inspired glow. The five-piece travel set has it all for your eyes, lips, and cheeks.

Take it Easy with the MAC Casual Colour Collection

Limited Edition Summer Makeup Collection

MAC Cosmetics has just what you need for your days off.

It’s called the Casual Colour collection complete with all of these barely there products:

• All-in-one Lip and Cheek Colour Pots
• Prep + Prime Highlighter, Studio Fix Mascara
• Mineralize Skinfinish
• 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush

The light formulas of this collection are designed to feel like you’re wearing nothing all.

Celebrate the Queen’s 60 Years in Style

Best British Beauty Buys

Here are a couple of beauty products to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.

Rimmel Glam’Eyes

Rimmel introduced Glam’Eyes HD, its first creamy powder eyeshadow with Velvet‑HD technology, in a Union Jack design awhile back but this is the perfect look for a royal occasion.

The palette contains four shades designed to work in sequence for a complementary effect in any light. 

The quad is available in several combinations including the aptly named True Union Jack and Royal Blue.

Stila’s Latest Travel Palette: Vibrant in Vancouver

Vancouver’s Colour Story

Stila has already recognized other cosmopolitan centres like Paris, Moscow, and Tokyo.

Well, now it’s our turn, Vancouver!

The Stila Vibrant in Vancouver travel palette is hitting the coast any day now.

The palette comes in passport-style packaging that features a Stila Girl posing with the Vancouver skyline in the background (check out Harbour Centre Tower on your upper left).

Mascara That Lasts All Night Long

Stretch and Define Your Lashes

MAC Extended Play Lash mascara does it all: curl, lift, define, and volumize.

If you have lashes that just won’t move, this lightweight mascara will help flip them up and define them.

The mascara comes in a single shade, Endless Black, and will last up to 16 hours.

If you’re wondering whether this mascara will be impossible to remove, think again.

To remove the mascara, all you need is a 20‑second soak with warm water and a gentle wipe and it’s gone.

Extended Play Lash will be available in North America starting May 24, 2012.

You can check out the mascara at all MAC locations and online at www.maccosmetics.com.

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Isn’t it Time You Tried Skincare That’s Simple?

Nourishing Skincare with Pure Ingredients  

There’s a good reason why Simple skincare is the UK’s #1 facial skincare.

Launched in 1960, the brand was the first to create perfume and color-free soap recommended by doctors for sensitive skin.

Today, Simple has an extensive range of  skin solutions and has continued their legacy of only straightforward, skin-loving ingredients with no perfume, alcohol, or unnecessary additives.

I had a chance to test drive two of the products in the Simple skincare line.