I am not a brand-whore. Seriously. So no, I do not use all MAC errrythang in my kit. But, I do absolutely love some of their blushes. I find the pigment is great, they are quite smooth and not chalky, … Continue reading
Enter the Contest HERE! Beauty By Jemz is giving away a fabulous prize full of goodies from MAC Cosmetics! The prize is valued at $113.00 and contains: “Whisper of Gilt” Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($34) from the Limited Edition Holiday 2012 … Continue reading
I love a good red. Wine or lipstick. When you wear a great red lipstick that really flatters you, it makes you feel über glam and brings out that inner sex kitten just a little more than usual…. atleast for me! … Continue reading
Yes, yes, I know. V-day is still 4 weeks away. BUT I have a strong love-hate relationship with the day, so I like to prepare early. I love the festiveness. Hate the love part. My V-day’s always go bad. So…. … Continue reading
I do lots, and I mean LOTS of photoshoots for models and commercial clients where the #1 look I end up doing is creating a, NOT NUDE, but a “natural” lip tone. This also goes for a fair number of … Continue reading
Dear Santa… I’ve been a very good girl….
Time to round up the amazing beauty buys out there for the Christmas season! Now, I never get presents. Seriously. Nobody ever buys me things for Christmas. I get a lovely card, usually filled with sparkles and Santa stickers from … Continue reading
When E.L.F launched their new HD blushes, I was the first in line to make my order! But I noticed that since these new HD blushes were part of the “Studio” line, I could use my handy coupon code for … Continue reading
All the time, everytime I wear it, everywhere I go… some female always wants it…. my fall 2012 lip colour that is!
So I figured I should post it, since it seems to be a fave with the ladies 😉
FYI, this picture does not do it justice!
It’s 2 parts Maybelline Superstay 14 hour Lipstick in “Wine and Forever #100” and 1 part MAC Dazzleglass in “Get Rich Quick”.
Quick note: No longwear lipstick will last anywhere close to 14 hours if you’ve layered it with a gloss product that was not specifically formulated to work with the particular lipstick. BUT, I love this for the colour, not for the longevity.
The Maybelline Superstay lipsticks have a really smooth and highly pigmented application. The formula doesn’t bleed out or feather on me when applied properly to a nude pencil-lined mouth. It also smells really g
ood (for a lipstick) and doesn’t have a weird taste… bonus! In this shade (Wine & Forever #100) it has a great plummy colour that is closer to the deep purple side rather than the black cherry side. It’s very flattering on warm skin tones and particularly on women of colour.
The MAC Dazzleglass is, like all Dazzleglass products, amazing and light catching and shiny. This shade (Get Rich Quick) is a beautiful raisin colour (plum with hints of red). It looks gorgeous layered over top your dark lipsticks from reds to purples, and on it’s own for a high shine and tint of colour on a nude mouth.
Hope this helps you to get my ‘coveted’ fall lips! Hehe!
xo
Jem
CanPar paid me a visit today and brought me some special FACE atelier goodies! I’m stoked!
FACE atelier Ultra Foundation is one of my absolute favourite liquid foundations. It gives amazing medium to full coverage, is buildable, and has a silicone base so you can save time and skip the priming step! To top it off… it’s a Canadian company! And I sure do love a homegrown product, especially one as amazing as this!
I recently used some FACE atelier products in 2 recent beauty editorials I had published (view MASK here or view Flight & Fury here). The shots and themes were COMPLETELY different from each other, but the thing is that this line is much more versatile than people and artists sometimes think. I use it on brides & clients, in video & photoshoots. Mature skin? No worries, this silky formula ‘floats’ atop the skin and doesn’t exaggerate fine lines by settling in wrinkles. Oily skin? get the Ultra Matte spray and mist a little before & after application to keep yourself shine-free. Dull skin? this stuff leaves a natural dewy look, just be sure to not powder on the whole face and just in the T-zone where needed.
Best of all….. FACE atelier was so kind as to hook me up with some professional gratis with my favourite items from their line!
I got the Ultra Foundation in 0-, 2, 4, 6, 8, 0+ a.k.a. 10, and 12 and the Ultra Matte spray. Covers every skin tone! And with 0- and 0+ you can customize the colour best for you (or your client). Enjoy the pics and the swatches!
Thanks again FACE atelier!
xo Jem
Attention bargain beauty lovers….
Z-Palette is having a sale on their small palettes! 20% off the regular price of $14.00 starting at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT! And I have been eyeing up those hot-pink minis since that new colour launched!
These are fabulous little wonders that save loads of space in your kit if you’re a pro or in your bathroom if you’re a makeup loving regular gal! See my Z-Palette musings here… or over here for more!
Don’t forget to pick up your magnetic stickers for those non-magnetized items!
Well, it’s bridal season and my hands have been quite busy. Often too busy to post 😦
But in the midst of peak wedding season, I discovered a brand new favourite thing. Best of all, it is the most INEXPENSIVE favourite thing EVER!
I recently did a HUGE (and huge is putting it mildly) E.L.F. makeup haul (See haul here: https://beautybyjemz.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/my-e-l-f-makeup-haul) . In my haul, I purchase 2 ‘flat-head’ powder brushes. And truthfully, I really don’t know why. I thought they looked interesting. And since I ordered during the 50% off sale, they were only $1.50 each.
Little did I know, these brushes were about to become my new soul mates.
Holy smokes! I can’t even describe how much these brushes saved my life.
I am a blush lover. Now, this doesn’t mean I slab it on and give myself RuPaul cheeks. No. But I have a blush process that I use on myself and clients to give a really ‘lit from within’ and ‘natural flush’ type look. I often layer my powder blush with my NARS illuminators or with my MAC skinfinish powder but I prefer to not use powder blushes on their own because I find it always needs help to be long-lasting. So, I am a BIG believer in cream blush. I looooooove the way they melt into the skin and give that warm natural flush. I usually mix my cream blush on a palette to warm the cream and mix my NARS illuminator with it (usually Orgasm) and then apply. The application part is the tricky part. You need a brush that will not look streaky. You also want to be able to ‘push’ the product into the skin and make sure it melds with the foundation well. And you want to layer it on slowly and with a light touch so that you can make sure it’s even and lasts long, instead of giving yourself streaky 80’s cheeks.
Now this brush is the absolute PERFECT tool for this. It’s like it was DESIGNED with cream blush in mind. Forget your stippling brush, forget your beauty blender, and forget using your fingers. If you like cream blush, you NEED this brush in your life.
It allows for the perfect control in layering and blending. The flat surface picks up and distributes an even colouring on the face. And since you can push the colour into the skin instead of swiping it on, it gives a much more natural and blended appearance.
I only bought 2, and although I thought of sticking both in my kit I just had to say no. No, Jem. Enough is enough. One has to be for me. And I don’t feel selfish, in fact, I feel rather complete. My NARS Cactus Flower blush has never looked so good!
Want it? get it here! http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/tools/single-brushes/powder_brush#
So it’s been a few months now since Noxzema saved my skin. And I have only been using them once a week now for that extra care and prevention. (You can read it here: https://beautybyjemz.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/how-noxzema-saved-my-cheeks/) Since my skin is all … Continue reading
A few months ago, I had an allergic reaction to something. No idea what it was. And I broke out in all kinds of hives and rashes on my face, mostly my cheeks. I took pills and used some medicated steroid cream and it eventually went away in about 2 weeks.
After that, I noticed my skin became really sensitive and if I even just *touched* my face, I would end up breaking out and pimples would come popping out all over my cheeks. So I was in Shoppers Drug Mart (I know… again… Do not judge me please) and I saw these Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Blemish pads in their classic cobalt blue Noxzema packaging. They were on sale for $3.49 and, in my classic style, I noticed a $1.00 off coupon just down the aisle. So I figured to try them. Nothing else was really working… my regular Cetaphil & Spectro cleansers didn’t seem to be able to handle the break outs alone and my tea tree oil stick was making my face look patchy and dry, nearly sunburnt. So with only $2.49 to lose, I grabbed a pack.
The instructions say to start with using 1 per day, then 2 per day with a max of 3 per day on the face. Well screw that! I was desperate. I started with 3 per day for the first 3 days and then 2 per day for about 3 more days. Before the 5th day, my break out was completely gone. Completely.
It’s true that I thought 
I might pass out from the menthol and camphor fumes, and sometimes I do plug my nose while swiping my face, but they say ‘what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger’ and here I am, with my face feeling stronger!
Moment of truth: these are dirt cheap, a jar lasts about 2 months, your breakout could clear up in a week’s time (or less!) and you have no embarrassing acne routine for people to see and poke fun at you about (i.e. the ‘toothpaste’ trick = no boyfriend wants to see that, or the ‘tea tree oil stick’ that dries out your skin in weird patches and makes you look like you got sunburned, or a bathroom cabinet full of acne products, when you could use just 1 or 2 and get the job done). P.s. these also work on your back if you have upper back acne. I recommended them to a male friend and he told me that within a week things were looking MUCH clearer!
My current routine: exfoliate, rinse, wash, rinse, use the Noxzema Anti-blemish pads once a day (on cheeks only, where my breakouts happen) and moisturize with my Clinique Dramatically Different. My current skin: so clear that I rarely wear foundation…. maybe once a week for a night out.
I love these things! And they are now one of my bathroom cabinet staples. Beware, the fumes are STRONG. Like, super strong. But these are completely worth it.
p.s. I have no brand sponsors (pffft- I wish)… So everything I buy costs me out of my own pocket and so, I am always, totally & completely honest about every product I review.
Have an acne remedy? skin cure? share it with me!
Yep, I found a leave-in conditioner that is better, I repeat – BETTER – than the Mixed Chicks brand coveted leave-in conditioner and de-frizzer for curly hair types.
I really like Mixed Chicks, I do. I have even used it in my daughter’s hair which has about 3x the twisty-curl factor than my own hair does. It works really well. But I found a product that works even BETTER.
Recently, I was in Shoppers Drug Mart (I say recently but we all know it’s closer to ‘daily’) helping my friend shop for some deep conditioner for her hair. I have used the ones by L’oreal Expertise, specifically this one (below), the Total Repair 5 and I really liked it. It was moisturizing but not so heavy that it weighed down my hair or gave me that ‘greasy bangs’ look.
So as my friend was grabbing herself some hair mask, I grabbed myself something new (as always) to do a test run. I’ve tried the Nutri-Sleek shampoo & conditioners from the same L’Oreal Expertise brand before and like them, so I decided to give the leave-in conditioner a try.
I have to say, I was amazed by it. It did a BEYOND fabulous job of taming my frizzies and defining my curls without any crunchy gel type feeling AT ALL. It was phenomenal. I only needed a small dollop and it was enough for my whole mid length head of hair. My hair didn’t feel weighed down. AND my boyfriend complimented my yummy smelling hair (it really does smell pretty good, for a styling product anyway).
So, is Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner great? Yes. Does it do everything it promises? Yes. But, is it available everywhere like in a drugstore or WalMart like L’Oreal Expertise is? No. Is it as cost effective as the L’Oreal Expertise brand is? No again. The Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner is 300ml for $16.99 (per the website and often sells for much more in stores, especially in boutique hair stores where you might be lucky to find it here in Canada) whereas the L’Oreal Expertise 
Nutri-Sleek leave-in conditioner is 200ml for $4-6 in most drugstores.
I bought my L’Oreal Expertise Nutri-Sleek leave-in conditioner on sale for $3.99 at SDM AND had $2 off coupons from the company itself to use. That’s right, it was $1.99. I don’t think this could be beat!
If you have thick, wavy, curly, ringlety, corkscrewy, dry, frizzy, dull curls or hair, you probably NEED to get this leave-in conditioner. You just didn’t know it until right now. And with summer coming, a.k.a. “big hair season”, this will probably become your life line.
No, I didn’t forget about you guys! Here’s a link to that $2 off coupon I used: http://www.smartsource.ca/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=RH3NYYVG2LZOY
Now go forth and shop!
Have a fave hair product? Tell me! Want me to put something to the test? Ask away!
A couple months ago, I saw a video ad somewhere (can’t recall where) for a new hair styling product by Goody. They were called “Spin Pins” and have this double helix type shape to twist into hair during up-do’s to hold hair securely in place. The hair artist demonstrating them said that one of these bad boys replaces the equivalent of 20 (twenty?!?!) traditional bobby pins. I was sold.
I spotted them in Walmart for about $7 at that time, although now the current price is $5. There are 2 colours in them, a burnished silver type colour for light hair & a dark brown for… You guessed it. It also came in 2 package variations, 1 with 2 large pins or 1 with 3 small pins.
I picked up the pack of dark brown small Spin Pins from Goody & tried them out. They were great! They are super sturdy & strong, easy to use & blend well to hair. But, I wish I had bought the long ones because even for mid-length hair like my own, I think nearly everyone would do best with the longer length. They don’t replace 20 pins like the ad-artist said but they replace about 5-6 which still makes it a fantastic & worthwhile hair product. This was ALMOST about to be my new favourite thing. Almost.
Then I dropped in to my local Ardene store a couple weeks ago & saw, none other than the most fabulous dupe: Twirl Pins. Ardene had these in packs of 4 long ones in either black or burnished silver at $3.50/pack or 5 packs for $10. Can’t beat that! On top of it, they also had some fabulous decorated ones with either pearls or Gemstones (like in my photo) with the long length & in packs of 2 for $3.50/pack or 5 packs for $10. Perfect for bridal hair!
I raided all their racks & purchased every pack. And I feel a little naughty for taking them all. But I also feel quite pleased with myself for finding this great dupe!
If you do bridal or prom hair or have your own big event coming up, be sure to get a few of these for your hair & you won’t have any worries about hair flubs during your event!
Have you tried these yet? Tell me about your experience!
So about 2 weeks ago, I was in my local Walmart picking up some new nail polish colours for summer and I happened to turn around and spot, none other, than a BRAND NEW item!
So then I bent down to grab it… the new Ardell Double Up eyelashes. And there was ONE. Here’s the thing… these lashes came out in February, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get my hot little hands on any because every time I peruse the eyelash racks in the drugstore or Walmart, they are totally and completely sold out. Barren hooks. Nothing left but those promising little cards that tell you which item is ‘supposed’ to be stocked there but isn’t, just to leave you feeling sad.
But not today… Today I got lucky. I grabbed this last pair and headed for the cash. I got home… took them out and realized, these are just like those damn “Katy Perry” inspired lashes that are everywhere right now but are really well priced! $5 later, you have this pair of mega-glam, ultra-sexy, super-lash eyelashes.
I bought mine in style #203 (Black) which are full, luscious, lengthy and flirty. Amazing for that “Adele” or “Christina Hendrick’s” look; the 1950’s sex kitten goddess look. Pair these with the Duo black waterproof eyelash glue, some nude eyeshadow shimmer and a coat of winged-out waterproof eyeliner and you’ve just brought the sexy back, no JT required.
I can’t seem to get my hands on any more at the moment but to see all the different styles and numbers, you can see this video here (just watch the beginning… or the end if you need to know how to put on falsies): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bJ2p3z5iwc
You can also order online if you like. There’s a great site which has them too! here: http://www.ballbeauty.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=ardell AND they ship for super cheap to Toronto!
P.s. After reviewing ALL the new “Double Up” Styles from Ardell…. #203 is still my fave.
Now if only Walmart and Ardell would quit teasing me and just overstock the shelves already! So if you get your hands on any… stock up! Especially on #203. Universally flattering. I promise. Try them! They are fabulous!
“If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.” Dr. Seuss
I have so many favourite things!
One thing of which I recently discovered….
I am currently in love with the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. In love.
It happened when, one day, I was in Sephora whoring up the skincare aisles and drooling over new product goodies, when I saw the Clinique D.D. Moisturizer on the shelves beside some Dr. Perricone moisturizer (which was 4x the price of the Clinique, by the way) and I remembered I have been meaning to try this cult-fave I have heard alot, and yet not enough, about.
So I had one of the girls make me a sample… Yes, of course I got a sample! I rarely buy a full size anything from anywhere, especially if it’s going on my face. You can never tell how something reacts to your skin when you’re trying it on in a store with dim lights and possibly other built up dirt or bacteria on your skin from the whole day prior. So, I take my half dozen sample pots home (yes, half a dozen. They were all different products, I promise). And low and behold, I end up at the MAC warehouse sale in Toronto 2 days later, before I had a chance to try the Clinique D.D. Moisturizer. Boo.
I grab 1. Only 1. I figured I may as well, seeing as it was $4 for the 1.7oz bottle which retails in the store currently for $16.
Well, I suck. I should have grabbed more. Way more. Like… all of them, kind of more.
I tried the Clinique D.D. Moisturizer when I got home (from my sample pot, so I could give away the full size to someone else if I didn’t like it). And I fell in love. It was this amazing thing that felt like egg yolks and whipped cream mixed together on my finger tips. I smoothed it over my face and it felt like I put on a moisturizing water-based gel product that literally disappeared on contact (I DID NOT try the gel version, I tried the normal version, just to clarify!).
6 days later, my Sephora sample is done and I have opened my MAC sale bottle of the Clinique stuff. I committed. Because I’m in love.
I have skin that is combination… I have dryness around the mouth and chin, oiliness in the T-zone and normal skin on the cheeks and neck. This moisturizer managed to effectively moisturizer ALL areas of my skin. I feel like it’s a wicked cure… something sinful maybe? Because I feel like skincare is never supposed to feel this good… and be so inexpensive! Holy mother… the 4.2oz bottle is $31 in Sephora stores in Canada… That would last me 6 months. It’s drugstore price!!!! Is anyone else’s heart jumping out of their chest like mine is right now???
So I fell in love. It is dramatically different, just like the name: in texture, quality, and price. Being in love like this feels like pure devine happiness. Everyone should try it. Be a sample whore… get some and try it for free. Experience a love like this.
“If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.” Dr. Seuss
beautybyjemz 