Happy New Year!! Wishing you all the best for 2011 and thank you for visiting and supporting my little beauty blog, beautyparler.ca! Lots of exciting posts for the New Year & I still owe you an update on an exciting piece of news!! But I have been working for ten days (except for Christmas) and flying all over the world and haven't had the time to post. This above fashion spread from Elle Russia sums up how I feel right now...rushed to get ready for NYE! If only I looked that fabulous...Enjoy the bubbly responsibly and enjoy your night.
Been extremely busy this month & I have so much to write...lots to share but it will have to wait a few more days. Wishing you all peace & love during this Holiday Season.
kisses,
Monica
xoxo
GIVEAWAY! As a gift one lucky reader will receive a $25 gift certificate to Glowing Beauty to be used on their site www.glowingbeauty.ca! (shipping is free)
Who is Barry M? Barry Mero is the creator of a U.K cosmetics line, Barry M Cosmetics. Created in 1982, Barry M was created due to the lack of vivid colour cosmetics, it is currently one of the U.K's leading affordable cosmetics in the market. There are countless Barry M reviews and tutorials on youtube, that's how I discovered Barry M Cosmetics. Having travelled numerous times to London, Barry M is always on my radar, the star products in their range are the Dazzledusts (pigments), lipglosses, and nailpolishes. Unfortunately, Barry M Cosmetics are not sold on my side of the pond yet. Join Get Barry M into Canada facebook page if your interested in having this affordable cosmetics line come to Canada.
Have you tried Barry M Cosmetics? Opinions are welcomed...
(images: top & bottom pic via BarryM, all others beautyparler,ca property)
A collection of nature; butterflies, rainbows, flowers, lush landscapes are just a few influences in the SWAROVSKI's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection appropriately called Wings of Poetry. Every season SWAROVSKI surpasses my expectations, this collection is exceptionally feminine and pretty. How pretty is the Noisette ring above? Beautiful craftsmanship and use of colour, in love with that ring. Here are a few favourite pieces and there were many to choose from. This is just a sample or else I'd be posting the collection in its entirety. And what I also love about SWAROVSKI is the variety of price points to fit any budget.
Mrs.Claus (aka MAC Cosmetics PR sweatheart) came by to fill my stocking a bit early this year! In my stocking were a few treats from MAC's Cham Pale Collection; to be released December 26th in North America & January 2011 International. A fine champagne toast to the New Year is this collection's motto! And shimmering, golden shades to compliment any skintones won't disappoint.
In the above image; Special Reserve Highlight Powder in Chez Chez Lame-soft gold (leaves a gorgeous sheen to face, I've been using it as a finishing powder over foundation) For reference my foundation shade in MAC is NC30, this highlighter doesn't alter my skintone and I love that. Pigment in Follow your Fancy-bright coral with pearl NOTE: from the Stylishly Yours Collection (to be released the same days as the Cham Pale Collection) Paint Pot in Vintage selection-peachy-nude/champagne frost Nail Laquer in Very Important Platinum-platinum with a hint of green/gold
During the colder months snuggling in bed with your significant other is the best feeling...that or sitting by the fireplace (just grap a pillow). For me, I love pillow talk! And how cute are these pillows...
For that friend that has everything...
A friend of mine is selling these adorable pillow cases and I just had to share.
$30 CDN for a set
Size: 51.5cm x 75cm
Material: 65% Cotton, 35% Polyester
Machine washable in warm or cold water, tumble dry
Holiday Season deal: Free pair of hugging salt & pepper shaker + Free gift wrap when 2 sets or more of His/Her pillowcases are purchased.
For more info visit 2sWhit facebook page
Before the weekend is over I'll try to squeeze in a few more posts. But first I have to pick up a couple of gifts at the mall, I'm sure at the end of the day I'll need to be rolled away too. Have you finished your Holiday shopping? (image: Photographed by Tony Kelly for Cosmopolitan Germany)
MAC 'A Tartan Tale - Sassy Coral Lassies' Lipglass Set
LUSH -- Gift Sets: Best Wishes Holiday Gift
CHANEL LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR SOHO COLLECTION
MARC JACOBS 'Daisy' Solid Perfume Ring
Nature's Minerals™ Foundation Brush
Crabtree & Evelyn
Mary Kay TimeWise Replenishing Serum+C
JOE FRESH CHEEK TINT
Off to your work Holiday party and have no clue what to get your secret Santa who happens to be female, well, there's always the hand cream for the boy too (you know the one that always steals your hand cream from your desk but won't go out to buy his own). Hope that helps & doesn't break your budget.
Have a great weekend! Does your work place do Secret Santa?
Wedding on your mind? If 2011 is the year your walking down the aisle make sure you check out The Wedding Showat the Carlu in Toronto. Although there's no ring on my finger I've actually been to last year's show with the boyfriend just to start getting a feel of what to expect. This is one boutique-style wedding show you don't want to miss! The Wedding Co. is celebrating its 10th year of The Wedding Show and is offering 10 lucky couples a private tour of the show prior to opening, one of those couples will win a fresh water pearl bracelet designed by Anne Sportun and gift bags will be given to all 10 couples, enter here!
(images: theweddingco.com)
Who is getting married in 2011? Share the details...
One of my earliest memories of wearing makeup was for ballet recitals. My mom, just like all the other ballerinas' mothers, was my personal makeup artist. She would transform my 7 year old face into a porcelain doll, lots of pancake makeup was applied and emphasis on doe-like eyes, enhancing the facial features was essential as your face on stage would appear pale/life-less otherwise. Although I never did become a Swan, the fascination with makeup and costume continues today. The movieBlack Swan was released in select theaters today, in charge of transforming the cast was the film’s makeup department head Margie Durand and makeup designer Judy Chin. Durand and Chin answer a few questions about Black Swan;
Q: How does a makeup artist prepare to work on a film? Do you receive guidance from the director or collaborate with the costume designer/art director/key hair stylist on the makeup look?
Margie: When I begin working on a film I speak to the director and all of the creative team if possible. The directors inspiration and vision really drives the process and I try to deliver that vision in makeup.
Judy: As I read the script, I try to envision the characters, taking into account their background (age, personal history, affluence, profession). As I see the plot develop in the story, I make note of how these events might affect their appearance. When I’m designing the looks for a film, it’s very important to consider the director’s visual style and tastes. Occasionally, I get to collaborate with the costume or production designers. I always try to find out how the actors will be dressed, as that can have a significant influence on the makeup look. While our designs are often created independently at first, I find that the hair stylist and I work very closely to be sure that our looks fit together and bring the characters to life.
Q: How long does it typically take for you to prepare to start working on a movie like Black Swan?
Judy: I spend a lot of time drawing and doing practical makeup tests. Depending on actor availability and camera tests, it could take three to four weeks of preparation.
Q: How does a makeup design contribute to building a movie character?
Judy: What I’ve always loved about makeup design is its contribution to the actor’s performance. Makeup helps to create the character visually. I feel that I’ve done my job well when an actor can walk onto the set feeling like the embodiment of the character that he or he is portraying.
Q: Can you give a step by step explanation as to how the Black Swan look was created as well as the products that were used?
Margie: We applied a pale ivory foundation with a white cream highlight on the forehead and cheekbones. To create the swan eyes, we used M·A·C Chromaline in Black Black. Using M·A·C Pigment in Silver combined with Mixing Medium, we applied feathery brushstrokes over the Black Swan’s eyes. The lips were lined with M·A·C Lip Pencil in Vino and topped with M·A·C lipstick in Dubonnet (see image). We then lined the under eye with a thin line using M·A·C Chromaline in Red.
Q: Does the makeup have any relation to the makeup in the traditional version of the SwanLake ballet?
Judy: Not really. The ensemble dancers wear what might be considered a traditional theatrical eye makeup, but our rendition is more dramatic. It’s practically an opera makeup. Besides that, the only other relation might be that we did portray the Black Swan as a sinister dark foil to the more angelic and innocent Swan Queen.
Q: The ballerinas’ performance makeup in the movie is especially dramatic and visually arresting. What inspired the dark romantic makeup look?
Judy: The look was inspired by the story, and by the director, Darren AronofskyI felt that he was looking for something dramatic and visually striking, so all of the intensity was focused in the eyes. Margie Durand realized that there were elements of our beautiful set design that should play a role in our makeup. Thus, the delicate silver branches that played across the swan’s faces came to be. The ensemble swans and the Swan Queen are delicate and romantic with a soft pink lip color, whereas the Black Swan is dark, sharp, and, angular.
Q: A ballerina has an incredibly active job, and in Black Swan, the characters wear both body and face makeup. What products did you use in the film that you were certain would hold up to the lights, movement and perspiration?
Judy: We used pancake makeup with a spray sealant to ensure that it wouldn’t rub off on the costumes. We also used M·A·C Paint Pots, M·A·C Powerpoint Eye Pencils, and M·A·C Pigments. In addition, we applied some alcohol based pigments that are virtually water proof and rub proof.
Q: What challenges did you face when designing and applying the makeup?
Margie: It was a challenge to makeup the Black Swan as the White Swan and then switch back to Black Swan during the long filming days. Both makeups had to be retouched because of the strenuous dancing for the close-up shots.
Judy: It would have been a huge problem if any of the makeup rubbed off onto the costumes, so we had to do many tests before we came up with the right combination of products – especially for the hands. The only other challenge was conveying to our team the application techniques, as it really was an operatic style of makeup. The shaping of the eyes and painting the whole eye in cake makeup is unusual for modern makeup artists. Most people are a bit intimidated by pancake makeup and they dismiss it as “old fashioned,” but it can be really beautiful if done properly. In the end, the whole team worked really hard and did a stunning job.
Q: Did you use any products in a non-traditional way?
Judy: We mixed the M·A·C Pigment in Silver with a sealant to create a waterproof liquid. We then used this metallic liquid to paint our delicate silver branches across the little swan faces.
Q: Black Swan makeup tutorials have popped up all over the Internet. Why do you think makeup fans are fascinated with this look, even before the film’s release?
Judy: What’s not to be fascinated with? The look is intense, alluring, and sexy with a bit of danger mixed in. Frankly, I’m flattered and pleased that there has been this much interest in the Black Swan makeup.
Q: How can the everyday woman translate the dramatic Black Swan makeup into an evening look?
Judy: There are a lot of aspects to this makeup that are standard elements for a classic beauty makeup. The highlights and contours along the cheekbones, nose, jaw line, and the pout of the mouth can all be adapted to a contemporary makeup. I also think one could incorporate the dramatic eyeliner – the angles and the intensity - into a very seductive, catlike smoky eye.
Margie: Think 1920’s vamp makeup: create the smoky Black Swan eyes with slender, silver eye liner applied under black wingtip liner and add thin wisps of silver liner over the eyelid, too. Rim the waterline with black liner and top it off with full, feathery false eyelashes. Apply a very matte foundation with contoured cheekbones and a hint of shimmery blush on apple of cheeks. Lips can be matte or glossy in dark eggplant, wine and even black colours!
Q: What other films have you worked on?
Margie:Sex and The City: The Movie, Cadillac Records, Across The Universe, Requiem for A Dream, I Shot Andy Warhol
Judy:The Unbelievable Truth, Ghost Dog, Requiem for a Dream, Frida, House of Sand and Fog, Broken Flowers, The Fountain, Blood Diamond, Across the Universe, Synecdoche New York, All Good Things, The Wrestler, Sex and The City: The Movie, Sex and The City 2, Dream House and The Tempest.
Q: Have you ever worked on a fashion show? If so, what are the differences between the creation of a movie makeup and the look for a fashion show? Is the creative process similar or different?
Margie: The creation process is similar; the differences are huge. In film, the makeup needs to be recreated more than once, whereas in fashion on a runway, it is created for one day or one show. In film, there is continuity of passage of time from minutes to days to years, and the character’s look has to adjust for this, sometimes all on the same shooting day. In film, the makeup needs to enhance the actors’ performances and become part of their characters, contributing to beauty, injury, aging, etc.
Q: How did you get into the film industry and how many years have you been working with makeup on film sets?
Margie: I began working on music videos in the late 1980’s and I have been a makeup artist for 22 years.
Judy: I’ve been working in the film industry for 22 years, as well. I got started by working on any project I could get my hands on that required a makeup artist. I worked on low budget films, no budget films and music videos. Some of those projects were extremely difficult because they were so small that they often never even considered what a difference a good makeup department could have made. That said, I always managed to enjoy my work, be innovative, and enjoy the creative process with the actors. I was lucky to meet some wonderful crews early on, and they inspired me to persevere. It totally paid off.
Q: What is the one M·A·C product that you cannot go on set without? Why?
Margie: I use so many M·A·C products on every job, but the Blot Powders are a must for whatever seems to be going on with my makeup at any given moment!
Judy: That’s a really difficult question, but I guess I would have to say a Powerpoint Eye Pencil. I think I could make up anyone with just one Powerpoint Eye Pencil. Or at lease enhance their features.
Lip Gloss NYX Tinted Lip Spa
Bought two shades at IMATS (Toronto) & loving both the Copacabana & Sake shade. Rich, creamy, tinted lipbalm!
CLARISONIC Skincare System
Thanks to MakeupJunkie & The Shopping Channel, been wanting this for a long time. Your skin feels like you just had a facial...in depth review to come.
Avon Ideal Shade Tinted Moisturizer in Light/Medium
Sheer, lightweight, tinted moisturizer for those days you don't want to wear alot of makeup. This shade was a tad light but still good enough match to my MAC NC30 skinshade.
Tval Skincare : Facial Skincare: Moisturizers Golden Olive Face Serum
I'm a big fan of TVAL skincare, although I try other brands TVAL always delivers exceptional quality. A little goes along way, at first didn't like this as I thought it was too rich but all you need is a drop. Great for winter months!
Yves Rocher Perfect Primer in Apricot
This primer is not your typical primer, I love this because its tinted & underneath foundation or a tinted moisturizer neutralizes shallowness. Doesn't have the typical feel of a silicone primer, no slip and I love that about it.
Olay Foaming Face Wash
A soap-free, fragrance-free, no nonsense cleanser. Removes eye makeup & makeup without having to use any other product. Great inexpensive cleasner, only negative is the bottle sucks for travel.
LUSH Buche de Noel cleanser
Previously reviewed this!
