Avon MagiX Cashmere Advanced Liquid Dark/Deep Foundation

I couldn't wait to test out the Avon MagiX Cashmere Advanced Liquid Foundation ($15.00 CAN) because they had a great range for Women of Colour. That's one of the main things that attracted me to a line.

The cashmere-soft feel you love…now with new skin brightening benefits. Advanced new formula gives skin an instant radiance. 70% of women saw more radiant, younger-looking skin. After 4 weeks of use, spots and discolorations appeared diminished. Brightens complexion and creates a pore-free, line-free and shine-free look. Leaves skin feeling ultrasoft and moisturized with a natural finish. SPF 15*

I love the "squirt" bottle and applicator.

  It's clean and easier to push out the amount of foundation you want without wasting it.

There are seventeen shades in the line ranging from light Ivory to Rich Espresso. So there is a shade for everyone!

The formula is really smooth. They describe it as "cashmere-soft". A little bit goes a long way. It can be applied with a sponge, brush or fingers. Lately, fingers have been my favourite way to apply foundation because I want a sheer finish. I will also use a wet sponge, if I want a sheer-dewy look.

This foundation brightens up your face. It doesn't apply flat nor is it muddy. Must women of colour know exactly what I mean by that statement. Wait until you see the swatches below!

One of the great selling points of the foundation is how it how it creates a pore-free finish. I know a few ladies who have an issue with large pores. You don't need a primer if you use this foundation.

The three darkest foundations in the line- Rich Espresso, Dark Cocoa and Earth shades do NOT contain SPF. I do use a moisturiser which contains SPF- so the lack of SPF is not an issue for me.

Also those three foundations would be perfect for special occasions where camera flashes were involved. If you're an Make up Artist looking for an affordable foundation to add to your kit for darker tones, this would be a good start.   

SWATCHES

From Left to Right:

Earth- Caramel- Sable- Rich Expresso- Medium Beige- Nutmeg 

Blended

From Left to Right:

Earth- Caramel- Sable- Rich Expresso- Medium Beige- Nutmeg 

Earth is a perfect match for me.
It's blended on the left and you can't even see it. Love!

Have you tried foundation from avon before?

Best Concealer EVER: LA Girl High Definition Pro Concealer

Sometimes you stumble on a product that is so amazing that you want to buy the whole stock!

I found one that will you run out and buy it today!

I won't lie, I've never paid any attention to La Girl products before. I believe I've seen them in a few dollar stores before but the stock was low and the items were not appealing.

I found the LA Girl High Definition Pro Concealer for $2.99. Being a WOC, it's hard for me to find a concealer with enough yellow & red for my skin tone.  I took a chance and bought chestnut and hoped that it would work.

Plus it was only $2.99, if it didn't work  I was okay with throwing it out. Each tube has a brush-tip applicator. Which is perfect for under eyes because it's soft!

Can you believe that I got a PERFECT match on my first try! 

This is everything that I would want in a concealer! 

1. Creamy
2. Lightweight
3. Buildable
4. Affordable

I love the fact that it has Chamomile extract plus vitamin C & E in the formula.

Get your colour here before they sell out:

Here is a picture of me using it under my eyes.

I don't have foundation on.

I'm so happy to share this with you all! 

Please let me know if you purchase it!

Happy Holidays + My Hourglass Cosmetics Look

Happy Holiday everyone!

I hope that your days are filled with happiness and hopefully you got everything that you wanted!

My Christmas look was very simple! The emphasis was on my eyes & lips. 

Products used:
Calligraphy Liquid Eye Liner C$37.00
Color:  Ebony Black
A moisturizing water- and smudge-proof felt-tip liquid liner that contours and lines the eyes with precision.

Superficial Lash C$35.00
Color:  Carbon - rich black 
A lengthening, volumizing mascara.

Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick C$35.00
Color:  Raven-Vibrant Orange Red  
A lustrous, cream formula lipstick that hydrates and softens lips.

Happy Holidays!

Make Up For Ever All Eyes On You Set + Holiday Look

One of my top five favourite beauty brands has to be Make Up For Ever. They have something for EVERY skin tone. Plus their products are vibrant and always pigmented. I was lucky to get my hands on a Limited Edition All Eyes On You Set.

 A limited-edition set of MAKE UP FOR EVER’s essential products to transform your look from soft shimmer to dramatic glamour.

The set comes with:

• HD High Definition Powder
• Aqua Cream in 16 Pink Beige (pinky beige shimmer)
• Aqua Eyes in Mat Black 0L (black)
• Aqua Eyes in Dark Grey 21L (dark metallic grey) 
• Smoky Lash Extra Black Mascara

I had a holiday work at lunch and I had no idea what look to do. I decided to try out their directions Soft Shimmer Look! It's the perfect option for someone like me who doesn't a lot of wear makeup to work.

The Look:

Directions:

• Apply Aqua Cream #16 across the eyelid from the inner to the outer corner.
• Using Aqua Eyes #21L, line the upper lash line and smudge to soften.
• Apply Smoky Lash mascara to the top lashes in a zigzag motion.
• Finish with HD Microfinish Powder.

I did almost everything above but I added a few modifications. Just to define my eye a bit more I used Aqua Eyes in Mat Black 0L (black) to line my top and bottom lid. I then applied Aqua Cream #16 on my lips and added a clear gloss over it. I finished of the look with the Make Up For Ever HD foundation in 178.

I'll be 100% honest and tell you that I never wear pink eye shadows. I don't like how it looks on my skin tone but Aqua Cream #16 looked great on me. It kinda reminded me of a rose gold more than a pinky beige shimmer.

This set is sold at Sephora and is originally $65 but now it's currently on sale for $50!

New products from Korres Fall 2012

Korres is a beauty brand that makes some amazing skin products. Everything in the line is made of organic and natural ingredients. These products are gentle on the skin and can be found in select Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora stores. I honestly feel like there is something for everyone in the line.

Short Hair Envy

Back in 2009, I sat down in the hair dressers chair and did the most drastic thing ever. I told her to cut it all off. If anyone knows me they will know that I plan EVERYTHING I do. I remember getting the cut and thinking what in the world would I do with short hair. So many questions came to mind. Would my boyfriend like it, is it cut the way I want it and most importantly, how will I maintain it on my own!

My decision came after seeing ladies like Rihanna & Estelle rock short styles with confidence.When you have short hair everything matters. I always wondered if had the right earrings or the right hair accessories?
I know that several North America ladies went insane and cut it all off after Rihanna came out with the cropped do in “take a bow”. I will never forget how her deep black hair looked with that sexy red lip! I knew I had to have it.

I can only imagine the amount of ladies who searched for Hairdressers in London who can do this exact hairdo from Estelle. She was rocking it way before Rihanna did. She also has the perfect face structure to carry this short style.

My experience with short hair was really difficult at first. My hair grows extremely fast and it was hard to maintain the back. I remember gelling down the back of my hair and hoping that it would last all day!

My top three short hair accessories:

1. Hats
At that time I had those loose beenie hat in every color. I always made sure that I had an extra black one. I was also able to wear them in the office!

2. Bobby Clips
If your hair is not laying right, these are a God sent. I always kept a few in my car, desk and purse. The best part about bobby pins is that you can get them at the dollar store! Remember to stock up.

3. Silk scarf
Every girl needs a silk scarf! I won’t get into the details, I’ll save that for another post but they help your hair from breaking. Especially at night when you move around a lot in bed.

I hope these tips helped. Also my UK ladies who took the plunge remember that you can always find Hair extensions in London to change up your look!

This is a sponsored post.

Trend: Golden Bronze and Nude Makeup

There are a few trends out there which are appropriate for all 365 days. Golden-Bronze is definitely one of them.

I've seen bronze incorporated in to EVERY Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter look.

It has been a while since I posted a beauty look. I had some brand new Golden Bronze shadows from Annabelle/Marcelle and I felt like this would be the perfect time to wear them.

To complete the look I used my Maybelline BB cream in Deep. Since I was going to an event indoors, I decided to matifiy it. Just add a squirt or two of a silicone primer to your BB cream. It works wonders!

I used my Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in 178 because I couldn't find my concealer. To highlight I used my MAC Skinsheen Bronzer Stick in Gilty Bronze to glow!

Check out what the main items I used:

 This could be a easy back to school "nude" look! 

 Do you own a lot of Golden Bronze shades?

New L'Oreal Foundations for Women of Color

As a women of color blogger, I think it's my duty to share products that are universal. Both foundation have shades ranging from fair to dark. In this post I am going to focus on the deeper tones.

I feel like a kid in a candy store talking about these foundations. Mostly because I know that they will work for some of my readers. If it won't work for you, I know its a brand that you can suggest to your friends or client if your an MUA.

The product on the left is the L'oreal Paris Magic Beautifier BB cream in Deep. Try saying that five times fast, it's a mouth full. If you're like me and you don't wear foundation daily, this is perfect for you. This formula is much different than your traditional BB cream because it comes out white and then adjusts to your skin tone. There are a lot of products which  say they do this but they are usually not suitable for dark/deeper tones.

Another factor which makes this product unique is the "luminating" particles in this BB cream.

I currently don't have a product like this in my make up stash.

L'oreal Paris Magic Beautifier BB cream comes in Fair - Light - Medium - Deep

L'oreal Paris True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Foundation 

The words healthy & foundation are usually not words that see you on foundations bottles.

Apparently this foundation has 3 powerful ingredients (40% water, antioxidants, vitamin C & E ) that improve your skin the more you wear it. I will tell you that I have not been wearing this foundation enough to see "changes" but I can give you information on coverage.

The foundation is light and buildable.  For reference this shade is Nut Brown/ Cocoa.

I just came back from a week in the Dominican Republic and I am probably a shade darker.

 Currently this foundation is exactly what I need during the summer.

This foundation comes in 15 shades ranging from light to deep.