Start With Smokin' Eyes!

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul.....but we don't necessarily wanting someone having a clear view into our soul!  (at least not on a first meeting).  Solution: put up a smoke screen.  A sultry, smokey eye can add drama, draw attention to the eyes and make your eye colour stand out!

A traditional grey smokey eye always does the job, but one of the trends for this fall is a green or purple smokey eye which is great for enhancing eye colour.  Creating a smokey eye doesn't have to be difficult--and we're going to show you how! But first, a couple of disclaimers:

1. I was already wearing some makeup before starting this tutorial--so in the pictures displayed I am already wearing eyeliner and mascara but normally it would be applied after the eyeshadow.
2. You will also want to wait to do your face makeup until after the smokey eye is complete as it is highly likely that some of the eyeshadow will fall onto the tops of the cheeks from the eyeshadow applicator. In the photos below my face has already been made up, partly because the makeup artist has the skills to apply darker eyeshadows without any pigment falling, and partly because it was scary enough sitting in the Boutique without any makeup on my face, let alone have photographic evidence taken of my uneven skin tone!
3. I am currently sporting long straight across bangs, but for the purpose of showing my full face I pulled them back with a headband which gave my a funny hair-halo, as well as displayed the fact that I have been lazily maintaining my eyebrows (or not) which are normally hidden behind the bangs.  After looking at the photos up close, I am now armed with tweezers to do some grooming...

Here are some simple steps to get a smokey eye:

• To begin with, you need to start with a clean, even toned eyelid.  Make sure that the eye area has been moisturized and is free of dry skin.  Next apply a primer all over the eyelid.  We used the Lancome eye primer in Nude. (* the photo below I was already wearing my mascara and eyeliner, but normally these would be applied later).

• Next, using an angled or rounded eyeshadow brush, take the main colour that you are going to be using for your smokey eye and apply it all over the lower lid and up into the crease.  (the colour shown below is Stila Pigalle).

• Now using a crease brush (a fluffy, round tip), take a lighter complimentary eye shadow colour and put it in the along the edges of the darker shadow (in the crease and along the outside corner), making sure to blend it with the darker shade, and further upwards. (we used a golden eye shadow from Lancome). Be sure to get the inner part of the eye as well. 

• Next take a light coloured eye shadowed and put it right below the brow bone as a highlighter (usually a shadow that is being used as a highlighter will have some sheen).  We  used Stila's Kitten, and put it under the brow bone, but also in the inner corner of the eye and along the tops of the cheeks after the final makeup was complete.
• Using an eyeliner brush, take the darker eyeshade (Pigalle) and line the bottom lashes with it.  Make sure to connect the colour all the way around the eye, including the inside corner.  For extra drama, we used Metamorphix by Lise Watier, which is a liquid transformer that automatically turns any eyeshadow into a waterproof eyeliner. We also used the lighter eyeshadow and lined underneath Pigalle, but that's optional.

• Line the upper lash line with a dark eyeliner complimentary to the colour on the lower lid.  We used Stila's Stay the Day Longwear liquid liner. Apply mascara on the upper and lower lashes and your eyes are done!

• The key to a smokey eye is to blend, blend, blend!  Also, since a smokey eye tends to be fairly dramatic, keep the rest of your face simple (it's common to use a pale or nude colour on the lips.  We used Stila's Longwear Lipcolour in Adorable).
• As for the rest of the face, this is what was used:  Stila's One Step Correct facial primer, Pur Minerals 4-in-1 powder foundation in Light, Correct & Perfect Concealer in Tone, Glamoureyes mascara, Custom Colour blush in Coral (all by Stila), Lancaster bronzer.

Try it out today!  And if you are wanting some one-on-one lessons come on into the Beauty Boutique and we would be happy to demonstrate it for you!

Thanks Christine for a great job!

Get Lips You'll Love

Get Lips You'll Love is the theme going into the second week of 30 Days of Beauty! Your lips tend to be a focal point on your face and can take center stage if you let them.  Your lip colour can do many things: compliment your face makeup, disappear with a dramatic eye, or make a statement about your personality (a bright colour tends to exude a bold personality!). But no matter what colour you have chosen to wear, the steps are the same to get that perfect lip:

1. Make sure that your lips are moisturized and exfoliated so that your lipstick goes on smoothly. (I really like the Clarins Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Gentle exfoliator--even though I really don't need the firming this micro-sugar exfoliator that also hydrates with essential plant oils that leave your lips super soft!)
2. Next add a lip primer so that your lip colour lasts longer (try Lise Watier's Base Eyes & Lips).
3. Use a lip liner to prevent the lipstick from moving into any lines around the mouth and feathering. Line around the edges of your lips, or if you want to give your lipstick even more staying power, fill in your entire lip (that way if your lipstick wears off through lunch you aren't just wearing your lip liner!). Lip liners can also help minimize or maximize your lip size.  If you have small lips, line just outside of your natural lip line.  If you have larger lips and want to minimize them,  draw the line just inside your natural lip line (make sure you swiped some foundation across your lips first, removing the natural colour from the edges.
4. Apply lip colour using a lip brush for a more accurate application
5. Put some gloss all over the lips for maximum shine, or just in the middle to make your lips look fuller!

Now that you know the application, all that's left is picking the colour!

Red is back as one of the hottest trends for the fall! Bright red lips make a bold statement, and it takes a strong personality to back that up.  But there are many different shades of red, and depending on whether you want the perfect daytime red for the office, or a coral or pink variation of a red, the perfect shade is out there for you!

And while I firmly believe that anyone can wear red once they have found their perfect shade, depending on the rest of your look it may distract from other features.  The nude lip has been a very popular look, and it's easy to get.  Whether you want to have a lip that blends in to the rest of your face, or is slightly darker, the key is to start with a neutral base so that the colour that you choose goes on the colour that you see.  To do that, you need to first remove the natural colour from you lip.  You can do this by either swiping your foundation brush across your lips when applying foundation, or if your lips naturally have a lot of colour, you may need something more pigmented lip concealer. Once you have found your perfect nude shade, the rest of the steps are pretty straightforward--lip liner, lipstick, and gloss.  Want your nude lips to last all day? Try Stila's Longwear Lip Colour in Adorable.  Want something extra hydrating and rich? I love Lancome's Rich Cashmere. If you want an invisible lip, after you have removed the colour from your lips, just put on a clear or nude lip gloss! (Anna Sui #700 is a great nude gloss)

Finding your perfect colour can be a little daunting--there are literally hundreds of colours to look at, that's why we are here!  Come into the Beauty Boutique and let us know what colour you are looking for or what look you are trying to achieve and we can help  you find it.  It will save you the time from going through all the brands and shades, and sometimes the colour that you are looking for may not jump  out at you.  So come in and find your perfect lips today!

Stila Fall Collection

Fall in love with the Stila Fall 2011 colour collection---just arrived in store!

What's that you say? It's only August? Thankfully the new colours are like a continuation of summer--warm, fun and playful.  A perfect example is the Living the Laguna Life palette. This travel ready set contains 4 eye shadows, a blush and a highlighter--everything you need for a day at the beach! And this cute little set is a steal at $18 (a $62 value).

Another great deal is the Lip Gloss trios; these lip glosses are the perfect combination of colour and shine, and not the least bit sticky!  Choose your set with either warm or cool colours, with each set containing two new colours and a best seller!

The piece-de-resistance for the fall collection is definitely the In the Light eyeshadow palette.  This stunning palette contains 10 highly-pigmented eye shadows, in colours ranging from a light golden to a rich bronze.  This palette contains all of the colours needed to transform your look from naturally gorgeous at the office, to a dramatic sultry evening pop.  And all of the colours are neutral so they are flattering for every skin tone.  As a bonus, this kit contains a bonus Stay All Day waterproof eyeliner in Damsel, which is a matte chocolate brown.  At $50, this limited edition palette is sure to sell out!

Another new addition is a new shade of the popular custom colour blush in a soft coral!  For anyone not familiar with this product, the highly-rated custom colour blush comes in it's original pink colour and now the coral, and works with all skin tones by adjusting to each individual's colouring.

There are also more staples added to their Stay All Day line; Stay All Day liquid liner is now available in green and grey (FYI - this stays the day and then some if you don't have a good makeup remover! I wear it every day without smudge or smear), as well as more colours in the Stay All Day waterproof eye liner.   Also new is a Stay All Day waterproof eyebrow pencil, which is available in two shades. These pencils go on soft and smooth, and are twist up so there's no need to sharpen.

Other new products include the Perfecting Concealer, available in 5 shades, and the Perfect and Correct Foundation.  I tried both of these products and really like both the texture and finish--they went on really smooth and rich, leaving a flawless complexion without the feel of makeup!

When the products are this hot, summer is sure to stick around for a while! But the limited edition colours and sets will not, so hurry in to get yours today!

30 Days of Beauty

Beginning on Saturday, August 13th, Shoppers Drug Mart will be having a 30 Days of Beauty campaign! What does this mean for you?? Each week there will be a different beauty theme in the Boutique, with makeovers, skincare consultations, and even more important: special promotions and deals! Here's what to expect:

Week 1, August 13 - 19: Start with Stunning Skin!

Cleanse, tone, moisturize, sunscreen! These are the skincare basics.Your makeup is only as good as the canvas beneath it, so whether you want a barely-there look or a flawless face, your skin is an important foundation towards the end result.  Come into the boutique for a hydration check-up and detailed skin consultation; find out if you are using the right products for your skin type and needs, or explore the dermatological lines available. Whether you're a busy mom looking for one skin serum that does everything, or a product junkie that wants professional results with a multitude of products, we are here to help. Book your appointment or stop by today. 

Bonus: Receive 20x the points when you spend $75 or more on cosmetics or fragrances from August 13th - August 19th!

Week 2, August 20 - 26: Get Lips You'll Love

Red lips are a hot trend for this upcoming fall, and it's a look that anyone can wear with the right shade. Rediscover a classic red lip, find your perfect daytime shade or go for all out colour for a night out on the town.  Try a lip stain for long lasting natural colour, lipstick for sheer or full colour, or add a gloss for high shine.  Join us in the Beauty Boutique for a quick 5-minute red lips makeover or sit down for the complete complimentary look!

Bonus: Beauty points redemption on Saturday, August 20th and Sunday August 21st!

Week 3, August 27 - September 2: Start with Smokin' Eyes

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul--and we want smoke them up! (we don't want just anyone to be looking into our souls--2 dates minimum!) Sultry, smokey eyes are the theme for this week so stop by for a makeover.  We can give you a rich and traditional black/grey look, or an emerald or plum smokey eye if you want to experiment with your eye colour. Complete your look with understated lips!

Bonus: Beauty bag gift with a $75 purchase!

Week 4, September 3 - 9: Discover Flawless Foundation

For anyone who doesn't have a naturally perfect complexion, the right foundation can make all the difference in evening out you skintone and providing a blank canvas for the face. And there are many options to choose from in terms of coverage and texture; tinted moisturizers for someone wanting light coverage combined with a moisturizer for one easy step, powder foundations for medium to full coverage allowing for on-the-go touch-ups, to a liquid or cream foundation in variety of finishes (oil-free, sunscreen, illuminating, etc).  Come in and let us show you a foundation that is perfect for you!

Bonus: 20x the points on Saturday, September 3rd!

Company Profile: Korres

If you have been into the Beauty Boutique in the last month, you may have noticed a new line of skincare: Korres. Originating in Greece, this homeopathic line was started by a pharmacist, George Korres, who came up with natural remedies for his patient's ailments.  George's philosophy was to offer the best quality products for his customers, using herbal extracts and staying away from synthetic ingredients. Customers were so happy with the results that requests soon started requesting he try his hand at skincare products.  After some experimentation, the Korres brand was born. But not without the help of a chemical engineer, Lena, who fell in love with and married George (I like to think a lot of love and passion are the secret ingredients!). The Korres motto is Beauty by Natural Selection.  No, this isn't a new reality TV show, America's Next Top Model meets Survivor: models have to fight each other for the last size 0 designer jeans while not messing up their hair or manicure. Only the *Beautiful* Survive. (my goodness, Darwinism at work in the beauty industry, can you imagine??)  Instead, when selecting their ingredients, Korres looks exclusively at plants and herbs that are found in Greece and only uses the top quality extracts that contain nutrients that are essential to the skin; survival of the fittest, where only the strongest survive (it's like Survivor for plants). At Korres, they strive to be transparent with their products so on the side of the box you will not only find a list of ingredients used, but a long list of ingredients that are *not* used.

One of the most popular items so far has been the Milk Protein Cream Cleanser, which is great for anyone who likes a rich cleanser that removes makeup, dirt and grime all in one step without drying out your skin (it's soap-free!). Also available are the Wild Rose and Quercetin & Oak Lines.  The main ingredient in the Wild Rose line is...wild rose!  This natural ingredient is a powerful anti-oxidant, and is also a source of  vitamin C.  This ensures that your skin is protected from the free radicals and harmful molecules in your everyday environment, and the vitamin C helps to maintain a bright, even skin tone.  Extracted from a desert plant, the wild rose concentrate takes advantage of the adaptation from a dry environment and keeps your skin hydrated for 24 hours. The Quercetin & Oak line is an anti-aging line that focuses on the correction of wrinkles and expression lines, as well as providing elasticity and firmness to the skin. The title ingredients in this line come from an extract from the oak tree, and were the first clinically proven alternatives to retinol, which is great news for a sensitive skin.

In addition to the skincare line, we are also carrying Korres body care: body butters and shower gels. Choose from Guava, Basil Lemon, Fig and Jasmine.  These products all contain emollients and humectants, which maintain the moisture level in the skin and keep it hydrated. While I am normally drawn to anything fruity and would typically have zeroed in on the Guava scent, I was pleasantly surprised by the Fig, which is my new favourite! Find your favourite today!

The SPF Factor: Suncare Basics

Sunny days are finally here in B.C., and it's crucial that sunscreen becomes a part of your daily routine.  The most influential reason? Skin cancer is now the most common cancer not only in Canada, but the world. And the younger generations have a much greater chance of getting it: 1 in 6 people born in the 1990's will develop skin cancer versus 1 in 20 for someone born in the 1960's*. I guess we can blame it on the crazy hair spray styles of the 70's and 80's depleting the ozone layer (if only Marty McFly had shared that with the rest of the world from his round trip in the Delorean!).  Seriously though, if skin cancer statistics don't have you slapping on a minimum SPF 30 every day, at least take into account the fact that UVA rays are a contributing factor to wrinkles. Nobody wants cancer, but for many people Mariana-Trench-style crow's feet are just as terrifying.

So what's important to know when buying sunscreen? Well to start, you need to make sure that you purchase a broad spectrum sunscreen, meaning that it blocks both UVA and UVB rays.  Both of these are key as UVA causes premature aging, whereas UVB rays lead to burning. And while having a golden tan in the long run is the end result of a burn, a burn is actually your body releasing blood to the surface of your skin as a means of defense. The type of sunscreen is more of a personal preference: mineral sunscreens vs. chemical.  Mineral sunscreens physically protect the skin by creating a shield on the skin that blocks and reflects UV rays by means of larger molecules (look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide on the label).  Alternatively, chemical sunscreen mainly absorb and occasionally disperse the UV rays (tinosorb or  oxybenzone). Mineral sunscreens are more common place as consumers tend to shy away from putting anything on their body with the word 'chemical' in it.

Also important is the level of SPF in your sunscreen, not because a higher SPF necessarily gives you more protection, but because it determines how often you need to reapply (and if you don't ever reapply, then a higher SPF will in the long run will end up giving you more protection). This is how it works: let's say that you go out in the sunshine midday in middle of the summer without any sunscreen and your skin burns in 3 minutes.  If you were to apply a 30 SPF sunscreen, you now have 30X the protection (SPF = sun protection factor), and don't need to reapply for 90 minutes (30 SPF x 3 minutes---who thought that math would come in handy with beauty?? Not Einstein, have you seen how deep his wrinkles were?!). So, the higher your SPF the longer you can go without reapplying. But it also depends on your skin type (fairer skins burn more quickly) and what time of the year and day it is, which is why you don't need to slap on an SPF 60 in February, at least in Vancouver where we are more concerned with liquid sunshine.

There are a lot more choices on the market these days when it comes to sunscreens, so how do you know which one is right for you? Well that depends on what your primary use of it will be. If you just need an everyday sunscreen for the summer for face and body in a cream, there are endless possibilities.  Do you just need something for the face for being out and about? A lot of companies have come out with ultra-light fluids for the face this season---after having it on your face for 1-2 minutes it literally feels like there is nothing there so it is a great option for people who want the protection without the stickiness of traditional sunscreens (try Lancome SPF 45, Vichy SPF 30 or 50, La Roche Posay SPF 60).  And if you are an active person, or are anticipating sweaty days ahead, Sheseido makes an ultra water resistant fluid in an SPF 50 (and it is really resistant--one of the Beauty Boutique experts took it to Costa Rica and it stayed on even in the tropical humidity). Or if you are very fair, have had serious burns in the past, or are concerned about high risk areas (nose, ears, face) both La Roche Posay and Vichy offer 60 SPF sticks, which will prevent any colour on the skin.

So come into the Beauty Boutique and find the sunscreen that's right for you, and ensure that the wrinkles on your face are from too much smiling and laughing and not the sun!

*Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation

Beauty Review: Lancome Visionnaire

Always on the cutting edge of innovation, Lancome has just launched a new skin serum: Visionnaire.

This product essentially works to create the look of flawless, perfect skin. Visionnaire helps to help minimize pores,  even out tone and texture as well as enhanced wrinkle correction.  Do you still carry the traumatic acne scars from your childhood, or are you seeing UV damage from your younger years before sunblock replaced baby oils? No worries, Visionnaire helps to diminish surface imperfections too! But that's just at the surface, and as we all know, women are deeper than that; we want a deep down meaningful connection with our serums, no overnight promises only to be broken-hearted in the morning. Some people might call that being needy, but the scientists at Lancome realized that every woman deserves to have beautiful skin with long lasting results. So they created a molecule (LR 2412 4% for the scientifically inquisitive), which works it's magic at the surface, but then passes along it's goodness as it travels further into the skin, where newer skin cells are just waiting to see the light of day.

And even better? Visionnaire has been tested on all skin types and ethnicities--even the most sensitive skin can use it.  I tried it out and immediately loved the light gel texture along with the fresh scent.  It went on really smooth and was absorbed into the skin right away, leaving an instantly brighter skin tone and an almost matte finish.  The serum itself has a subtle, iridescent pink hue to it, and if you look really closely a very slight sheen, which is likely a contributing culprit to correcting uneven skin tone.  I'm not an oily skin so I don't have really large pores to begin with, but I did notice that pores in the area where I applied Visionnaire definitely appeared smaller. While the best results always come after a full skin cycle, ~28 days, Lancome has put 12 years of research into Visionnaire so they're clearly in it for the long haul.  I have always been happy with the results that I get with Lancome products, so I'm sure that after 28 days my skin will be the vision of perfection---you gotta put in the time and commitment if you want happiness in the end!

Try it today - stop by for your free sample.

Welcome to Como Lake Beauty!

The beauty industry is constantly changing; every season there are new trends, colours, styles and constantly improving skincare textures, treatments and technology---it's hard to keep up! With so many products on the market and an endless supply of advertisements and media attention, it's hard to know what products are right for you, because let's face it: just because the latest cellulite cream is endorsed by Beyonce doesn't mean it's going to keep the junk out of your trunk.

And that's where we come in, your Beauty Boutique team at Shoppers Drug Mart Como Lake Village. Thankfully, working in the *beauty* industry gives us the unique opportunity to get all the latest information and learn about new products at schools and trainings and then pass along the information to our clients.  Personally speaking, I have a bit of a skincare and makeup obsession; and while I do prefer some products to others, I have no brand loyalty.  While I will do my homework to make sure that the product is right for me, I will switch my products from company to company based on pretty packaging, scents, and of course the texture and technology.  And being surrounded by makeup and skincare everyday allows us to try out products first hand, so that when you come looking for an ultra-light hydrating serum, we can recommend not only products that we have tried ourselves but also pass along feedback from other clients--what they liked, hated and their overall impressions.

In this blog, we will keep you up to date with the latest products on the market and the technology behind them, give experienced-based product reviews, as well as keep a calendar of upcoming and ongoing events and promotions in the Beauty Boutique!