Thursday, 13 February 2014

The Ten Foundation Commandments

I'm going to come right out and say it - Foundation (to me) is a splurge purchase. I have bought $7.00 mascara and $5 lipstick..but rarely do I spend less then $40.00 on foundation (sorry.) My Three favorite companies to buy foundation from (in no particular order) Smashbox, Make Up Forever, Laura Mercier.

Here we go:

#1. In this Instagram, Facebook and selfie world, having your makeup photograph well is a priority. That being said I ALWAYS opt for a yellow based foundation - always. Flashes and harsh lighting in photographs accentuate redness in the face, a yellow based foundation will help neutral this and help you not look pink in the face.


#2. Color Matching, When you go to purchase complexion makeup, do the jar stripe test. Run the makeup from your check done to your neck, and try 3 colors that look close (that is a Robert Jones trick). This will give you the closest and truest color match.
#3. Use the Right Tools: For a very natural finish, use your fingers, for a little more coverage use a Beauty-Blender and for the fullest coverage I recommend a synthetic Brush.

#4. Have The Right Base: Use a primer if your skin has uneven texture (dryness, break outs, fine lines & wrinkles) But make sure your formulas are compatible. If you are using a water based foundation, have a water based primer etc. To keep this simple, buy your primer & foundation from the same line - same can be said for the concealer.


#5.Start in The Center of your face and work your way out. Women tend to have  more redness around the nose, so put the bulk of your product there and the product will sheer out naturally as you get to your jaw line.



#6. Layer it up - A light to medium foundation base is best for longevity and then spot concealing where there are problem areas. Then to really help things last - finish with a powder. For dry skin I just lightly dust a setting powder over t-zone. For oily skin- a mattifying one, wherever needed. Doing light layers of different products will give you a more natural finish and more bang for your buck by being longer lasting.

#7. Timing: Let your moisturizer and primer absorb into your face before you get your foundation on, so wait a few minutes in the beginning. BUT as soon as everything looks perfect with your foundation/concealer..get the powder on before your foundation creases or settles into any fine lines.


#8 Do your eyes first : A lot of clients will comment: "Oh, you do the eyes first?" Yes I do, every time. Who has time to make their skin look absolutely perfect, and then screw it up with eyeshadow fall out and mascara smudges? Not me. Do you eyes first, then take a bit of moisturizer and wipe away any fall out, and then start creating your perfect complexion.

#9 Choose the right formulas: You want your formulas to be age appropriate and skin type appropriate.


#10. Use Multiple Shades: Find a shade that matches your skin tone perfectly -  buy that one and then buy one shade lighter, and one shade darker (or use bronzer) You can use these to subtle bring dimension and life to your face. Apply the shades where you would apply highlighter and contour.

Please comment below if you have any questions or tell me what your "foundation commandment" is you swear by! I'd love to hear your tricks or your favorite products for your skin type!

xx
sj
WWW.BASTARACHEBEAUTY.COM

Most images are google images in this post. With the exception  of title image: by Caro Photo, and Selfie. lol

Monday, 3 February 2014

Beautiful lips in a Canadian Winter? Yes it is possible.

My lips get SO DRY, and I'm a makeup artist - so unacceptable. And I knew, being a true Canadian girl putting my lips through a true Canadian winter, that I needed some serious help- and only another fellow Canadian could be trusted. So I hit up Shoppers and found the Lise Watier counter and picked up 2 gems.

Lise Watier  SPA FONDANT Moisturizing Lip Therapy $21.00 CDN
Lise Watier SENSATIONAL KISS Exfoliating Lip Balm  $21.00 CDN

Here is my before photo and after one or so week of use. 
Now I have to confess, my before isn't a true before as I started using the SPA FONDANT right away, but you can still tell my lips were pretty dry.  I have the SPA FONDANT on in the after photo.

So I do LOVE these products - and was pleasantly surprised by how well they worked. I did keep my regular EOS lip blam and Blistex in my purse for on the go, but I've always used those products and have never seen such a difference in the look and feel of my lips.

Details:

Sensational Kiss: This lip balm gently exfoliates thanks to the fine sugar crystals that eliminate dead skin cells An indispensable for moisturized, ultra soft and sensational lips! 

Spa Fondant: Prevent your precious lips from drying and chapping with Spa Fondant Lip Moisturizing Therapy. Rich in anti-oxydizing Vitamin E and deep moisturizing ingredients, it also contains Maxi-Lip®. The latter stimulates the reconstitution of collagen for a visible increase in the volume of your lips while helping restructure your lips' contour. 


Do you have any winter beauty routines or splurges to fight against the weather harshness? Would love to hear about them in the comments below!

xx
SJ


Monday, 20 January 2014

Casting Call for Brides-to-Be!

I am so excited for this shoot, and I want to bring some lucky girls in on it!! 



We are looking for a bride-to-be and 3 girlfriends to be featured in a  Bastarache Beauty  Promo Film and a Caro Photo bridal photo session. This exciting double shoot and makeover is the perfect way to spend time with your bridesmaids and get pampered on us!

Share this with the engaged ladies in your life or nominate yourself! If you wish to be considered, please email sarahjane@bastarachebeauty.com with a photo of yourself and up to three of your girlfriends. Don’t forget to tell us why you’d be perfect for this on-camera experience! This double shoot and makeover will be happening on Feb.9th 2014.

One lucky bride and up to 3 girlfriends will be chosen by January 30!
All participants will need to sign a model release and be available for the shoot on February 9th 2014. Further details will be provided once the lucky winner is announced.
We look forward to meeting you!

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Where to Save Your Money on Makeup Products

                                         
So the holidays are just around the corner, and we all need a little extra cash for gifts, wine, food, winter expenses,wine, wine and maybe some mulled wine. So here is a list of swaps you can do in your makeup bag to give you a little wiggle room!

 PFFFT! Honestly...I don't even by Dior Mascara anymore it's Voluminous all the way, price isn't a factor.

 Only Problem With Garnier...can be slighlty sticky and has fragrance. Would set with powder on T-zone in summer months, winter you will probably be ok as most skin is drier anyways.

 In the wise words of Wayne Goss: " You can do a lot more with bad makeup and good brushes, than with good makeup and bad brushes." Real Techniques are amazing they are designed by a UK makeup artist who knows her stuff. The price is so affordable, I have bought multiple sets in each collection for my kit. Any other brush at this price point I have seen is garbage. So go real techniques or splurge on prestige brushes.

 Maybelline takes a little longer to set then Bobbi Brown, but if you give yourself an extra 30 seconds after drawing on your eyeliner - this will become your go to for gel liners. Sorry Bobbi - price isn't even a factor this, Maybelline just delivers.

Umm..serisously? I could hardly tell a difference when I picked up this NYX primer compared to the UD one I had been buying. I also buy the NYX primer in white ...another product that stays in my pro kit for under $10.00! Amazing!


Prestige Total: $208.00
Smart Girl Total: $62.00
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! AMAZING. $146.00 in savings. That sounds like a lot of eggnog to me!

Let me know if you would like a where to buy, or have any other drugstore products that captured your heart and saved your wallet!

Thanks for reading!

xx
sj
www.bastarachebeauty.com



Saturday, 16 November 2013

My Top 5 Favorite Makeup Lines

I carry a huge variety of products in my kit, from soo many different makeup lines; however, there are a few brands that pop up in my kit repeatedly. Here are my trusted go-to brands for different products :

Benefit: Great brightners, concealers, highlighters. Great line to give you a glowing complexion. Favorite Mascara!!!


Best of Benefit: They're Real Mascara, Benetint cheek & lip stain, Highbeam Highlighter, Erase Paste-under eye concealer, Hoola - bronzer, Watt's Up - Highlighter

 

Make Up Forever: Strong line all around, love their complexion products, lipsticks and eye makeup. Cannot go wrong with this line.

makeup forever



Best of Make Up Forever: HD Liquid Foundation, HD Microfinish Powder, HD Rouge Artist Natural, Aqua Eyes Eyeliner, Smoky Extravagant Mascara

 

 

NARS: Great line for a beautiful glow and flush and stunning lip products

NARS


Best Of Nars: Blush- Seduction, Highlighter- Albatross, Pro-Prime™ Light Optimizing Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 1, The Multiple-Orgasm


Urban Decay: Go to line for great colored and pigmented eyeshadows. Love the Naked Basic Matte Palette, staple in my kit!

Urban Decay




Smashbox: Beautiful line for the little extras that make all the difference. Great primers, brow products and love the sculpting kit.

Smashbox





Do you see any of your favorite products here? Or did I miss something from one of these lines that you love? Comment below. 

xx
sj
www.bastarachebeauty.com

Friday, 8 November 2013

Beautiful Soft Winter Makeup

I love autumn and winter fashion - I love living in Canada where we get such beautiful seasons - but when It starts to cool off I think fashion and beauty just come alive. This winter is no different - the clothes and makeup are stunning. I will give a full review soon but think warms and neutrals for colours -Caramels, chocolates, burgundies , bronzes with a style ode to the 90 's extremes -very polished and lady like or grunge .
                                  
 On Josee we are clearly leaning towards ladylike -but still very soft. Because she is beautifully fair I opted for light colour choices but still kept them in the warm palette so she didn't look washed out. 

-Recreate this look-



Fall/winter 2013 makeup trends






This look would also look great with another fall trend which is the berry lip! So pretty loving it!
|These are some of my favorite products I use to create new looks all the time - one of my favorite drug store steals right now? Rimmel Lipsticks. The one in this photo is Nude Delight and only cost $3.94 !!

Talk soon!

xx
sj
www.bastarachebeauty.com
Photo Credit: Denis Duquette Model: Josee Hicks

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Summer 2013 Makeup Trends

 I love the season transitions and the new makeup trends they bring. Here is what is hot for this summer and spring: some classics that are always fabulous & some new twists.


#1. MATTE BRIGHT & RED LIPS
Summer trend: Bright, matte lips

#2.LINER
Summer Trend: LINER


#3.BLUE & GREEN EYES
Blue & Green Eyeshadow


#4.GLOWING SKIN
Glowing Skin


#5.BIG LASHES
Big Lashes