Save the Hands!!! What's your strategy?

Every winter I seem to have a problem. No matter how many times I apply lotion, my hands are always dry (and sometimes crack around the cuticles). I apply lotion in the morning before heading to work, immediately after every wash, and before I go to bed every night. I also drink a minimum of 2.5L of water a day...but somehow they are still always dry - I can never seem to get the "soft hands of a woman".

So I am putting the question out there - what do you do to save your hands??? I am hoping one of you will have the solution I am looking for! Hit me up with a comment and let me know your winter strategy :)

Hot Deal: Juicy Tubes @ The Bay

For all my Canadian mamma's, the beauty department at The Bay has some good deals on. I stopped by the Lancome counter and found this delish Juicy Tubes Gloss set:

The tubes are smaller than the regular individuals (which retail for approx $21CAD each), but for 8 shades, I thought $49CAD was totally worth it! What a great gift for any gloss lover (whether it's for you or "someone else" heehee)!

Here are the shades from left to right:
- Touched by Light
- Grand Cafe Creme Brulee (makes me want to eat it!)
- Rose Quartz
- Pink Bling
- Cherry on Top
- Magic Spell
- Miracle
- Dreamsicle (love this name)

You better hurry up and get this because they only had a few left when I went this afternoon. Happy shopping ladies!!

Ben Nye Grande Colour Palette - so awesome!!

I can't believe the weekend is already here! Time really flies near the end of the year doesn't it? Anyway, tonight was the first night that I've had to myself in a while, so naturally, I decided to play with one of my new IMATS purchases!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Ben Nye's Lumiere Grande Colour Palette:

Isn't she a beauty? For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ben Nye, it's a professional makeup line designed for film, print, fashion, and high definition broadcasting. Because of this, the colours are deeply pigmented and last for long periods of time. They are completely buildable (great for layering!) and don't get too powdery...meaning there is minimal wiping-of-the-face required after application!
Now the colours are pretty bold, so with a price tag of $110CAD, I would only recommend buying this palette if you are an artist yourself, or if you are comfortable rockin' the bright colours! Then again, if you don't usually sport these colours but really want the palette, you can always tone them down by blending them with a darker and/or neutral colours.

Here's the look I ended up with tonight:



When using bright colours, I like to prep my eyes with a MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. Paint Pots are highly-pigmented cream colours that you can use as primers or shadows. I like to use it underneath my shadows - it really gives a lasting effect!

This look is a blend of 3 shades in the palette - Ice (a shimmery white), Amethyst (a pink-purple), and Cosmic Blue (probably one of my favs in the palette! - I nice electric blue).

Ice was a perfect colour to use as a shadow and a highlighter - I used it on the inner corners of the eyes as well as on the brow bone to add an extra touch of shimmer.

I finished the eyes with a thin line of black liner and some black mascara. This application was just for fun, so I didn't go too intense with the liner...however, if this was for an evening out, or a photoshoot, I would create a thicker line all around the lid to add some intensity. I also used the Cosmic Blue shadow under the eye - a very subtle line of powder that blended into the black liner. So fun!

Lastly, I finished the look with some blush on the cheeks, and kept the lips nude. In fact, I only used Vaseline on the lips because they were drying out like crazy (the change in weather always gets me!). Again, if this was for a client or photoshoot, I would definitely line the lips with a nude liner and complete the look with a nude lipstick and sheer lip gloss.

Overall, I am very happy with my new palette! The variety of colours is great, the quality is amazing, and the possibilities are limitless! I'm totally excited to start working with this more :)

On that note, I know lots of holiday parties and events are just around the corner. If you'd like me to re-create this look on you, OR if you have an idea of other colours you'd like to try, feel free to contact me at any time - I'm happy to work with you to acheive your perfect look!

Hope you all have an amazing weekend :)

Weekend Fun: Holiday Gala & Toronto IMATS!

Okay another great weekend down in the books! After a good night's sleep and a full day of rest on Friday, I was feeling much better - the cold that crept up on me earlier in the week was virtually gone!

The weekend started off with ICCC's Annual Holiday Dinner & Dance. With a Royal Kingdom theme, it was definitely a grand affair. My favourite part about putting Indian clothes on is the freedom you have with the makeup! Indian clothes are typically bright, colourful, and sparkly...a perfect excuse to sport the makeup you have tucked away for a special occassion. I wore a pink & purple suit covered with small gold circles and detailed beading in deep pink, green, blue and gold. Here's the look I chose to go with:













I wanted to play up the eyes with a gold, pink, and purple blend. Again, I must say, my camera isn't the greatest, so I don't think you can see how the colour was popping...but this is the essence of the look! Because this was a formal event, I felt it was appropriate to pair intense eyeliner and mascara with a heavy dose of blush and coloured lips (as opposed to my everyday lighter makeup look with nude lips). You can see in the middle picture that I used an irredescent powder to highlight my cheek bone, temples, and centre of my nose in order to create a classy dewy look - it really captures the light in a way that makes your face glow! For lips, I used a bright pink lipstick but toned it down with a pink-gold lip gloss for a complete formal look.
The night itself was spectacular, and with this look I fit right in with the glamour and glitz of the gala!

This weekend I also attended the Toronto IMATS (International Makeup Arist Trade Show). It was my first one - so much fun! I met my cousin Aanchal at 10am and we stayed until about 4pm. Here are some pics...

Result of an airbrushing seminar - amazing transformation from a natural dewy look, to a smokey eye, to a high-fashion, alien-esque look - all in under an hour. Here is the final product:

Artist Danielle Fonseca and her model:

Tempting display by naked cosmetics:

Amazing body art:

Me leaving the show!

The goodies I left with:

Going to the show was definitely an exercise of self control and resistance. There were tons of pro brands with awesome products at great prices...I indulged a little, but managed to quit beforeI got in too deep! I definitely recommend attending next year if you are a makeup artist or simply have an interest in makeup - lots of informative seminars and deals on product!

The rest of my weekend was very enjoyable - I went out for a birthday party on Saturday night (unfortunately I don't have any pictures yet) and enjoyed with the nice weather with my boyfriend on Sunday - had lunch, grabbed some lattes, and went for a nice walk in High Park! It was a great way to end the week...I feel relaxed and rejuvinated, ready to take the next 7 days!

Hope you are well and loving your lives :)

QOTD: Department Store or Sephora?

First of all, my apologies for the lag in blog posts. Not only has this week been insanely busy, but I've also managed to catch a cold, which has slown me down immensely. I'm writing to you from my bed, which is where I am resting for the day...

On with the blog post. So I came across this article in the Globe and Mail the other day:

Department stores gear up fight for beauty market

For those of you who do not want to read the full article, here's my synopsis:

It's no secret that retail chains like Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart have gained quite a bit of market share in the beauty industry. Traditional department stores like Sears and The Bay were once the "go-to" places for any woman's cosmetic needs...now, with their closed-format, one-salesperson-to-one-brand approach, they are struggling to capture the attention of young women and need to re-strategize to remain competitive.

(Traditional Department Store Cosmetics Counter)

Research has shown that young shoppers want to walk into a store and help themselves - they want to be in control of the shopping experience and would like to be able to just simply browse. Unlike department stores, which hide the products behind a counter, Sephora is very conducive to this experience - all of their products are displayed on open shelves for shoppers to try on their own, and each sales representative is knowledgeable about every brand in the store...this has proven to attract a large number of young makeup junkies like myself.

(Typical Sephora Store)

So what are the department stores to do? In an effort to attract more young women, Sears has launched two pilot projects (one in Mississauga and the other in Burlington) in which the cosmetics department stores makeup in aisles on glass shelves. They carry masstige brands like Revlon and Cover Girl and all sales staff receive commission on all brands that are sold. Sears will also be launching 30 new brands in these stores.
Similarly, The Bay has launched an open-concept cosmetics department in Waterloo, and beauty bars in 3 other locations. These bars feature up-and-coming labels like Makeup Forever which has been a huge hit for the store.
By changing their cosmetics landscape, these department stores are hoping to keep up with the beast that is Sephora - which (by the way) entered Canada in 2004, currently has 200 stores in the country, and is looking to double that figure in the next four years.

So here's my QOTD (Question of the Day): Will department stores be able to up the ante enough to attract YOU?
I am interested to hear your thoughts:
- Where do you currently shop for makeup - Do you like the open concept of drug stores and Sephora, or do you prefer to deal one-on-one with a specific brand's specialist behind a make-up counter?
- Do you think changing the way the product is presented will help department stores?

Personally, I prefer the more open approach. I like to touch and feel a product without a salesperson jumping on me to buy it. I also like that if I am looking for something, I can ask an employee that can show me a comparison of various brands, rather than only pushing the brand he/she represents. Do I think department stores will be able to compete with Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart? I think they'll bring more shoppers into the doors, but it will take a lot more than just layout changes to convert buyers. Sephora has done a lot of work to build an open makeup culture and a huge online community (you can order almost every product online, read hundreds of user reviews, rate products you have tried, and read the Sephora blog). Department stores need to completely makover their approach if they want to level the playing field.

PS> What a great time to be on the marketing/strategy team for cosmetics at Sears or The Bay - I think I found a new dream job...

L'Oreal HiP & Lip Gloss from The Bay

This weekend I found myself in Shoppers Drug Mart. While my sister was actively searching for the perfect blue eyeliner (which I'll write about soon), I was resisting the temptation to load everything I saw in the cosmetics department into my shopping cart. I managed to walk away with only two items, one of which was this:

L'Oreal HiP (High Intensity Pigment) Kohl Eyeliner in Burgandy Kohl. You can't really see the colour in this photo, but it's a burgandy-purple pigment. Maybe this will help:

I have to admit, it was not only the gorgeous pigment that drew me to the product, but also the cute little container it was stored in! I mentioned before, I'm a sucker for packaging, so for $14.99 CAD, I decided to try it. Here's how it went on:


Pros:
- Stiff pointed wand makes it easy to apply the pigment exactly where you want it
- Rich, highly pigmented colour - shows up exactly as it looks in the container
- Smooth application (no tugging or pulling on the skin)
- Only $14.99 CAD - very affordable!
- Available in several colours including black, gold and teal

Cons:
- Crumbs of pigment tend to drop underneath the eye area - you'll need to sweep this off after applying. You may want to try placing a kleenex on the cheekbone while applying to catch the crumbs
- The intensity fades after a few hours...I would give it 6hours tops before needing to re-apply. This was a little disappointing because I was really happy with the way it looked when I first applied it

At the end of the day, I would say it's a beautiful product for short-term wear. Don't expect to put it on in the morning and see it as bright and intense as it was by the afternoon. I am going to try it again this week to test this theory out, so if I am wrong, I'll definitely let you know.

So this was my weekend-casual look...just hung out with the boyfriend today so I didn't get too dolled up.


The lipgloss, by the way, is from this cute little no-name kit I picked up at The Bay on Saturday. In the picture above, I am wearing the second colour from the left (unfortunately the colours are not named either):

For only $20 CAD, this is a great gift for a travelling woman, or someone on the go! The colours are fairly bright, and last for about 2.5 hours:

Later on in the day I decided to change it up - here is the first gloss from the right:

Again, a pretty good deal for only $20 - great for stocking stuffers this holiday season!


Oh, and the sweater I am wearing is from The Gap - another new purchase this weekend! This Striped Cardi was on sale for $35.50, plus I had an additional 30% off coupon, so I ended up paying about $25 CAD. This is honestly one of the comfiest, coziest sweaters I have worn in a loooong time! It comes in various colours, but they only had a few blue ones left, so if you are a cardigan-freak like I am, go grab it now!


Hope you all had a fabulous weekend - if you happen to try any of the products I wrote about today, drop me a line and let's compare notes! See you soon :)

Are you Following me Yet?

My Precious Readers,

I have decided to follow the beauty blogger trend and start FREE PRODUCT GIVEAWAYS!!
The Catch: I'll only start after I hit 100 followers!

I have been getting tons of positive feedback from all you chicas who read this regularly - thank you so much for your support! Now it's time to spread the word! As soon as I hit 100 blog followers, I will be setting up some really cool contests and giveaways. All you have to do is:

If you have a Blogger account:
1) Sign in to Blogger
2) Visit my Blog
3) Click "Follow" in the Blogger toolbar

If you do not have a Blogger account - you must have a Google or Yahoo account:
1) Click "Follow" on the right-hand side of the blog
2) Click on Google or Yahoo, whichever account you have
3) Sign in to your applicable account
4) Complete the given steps to follow my blog!

You will not receive junk mail or email updates automatically - you just appear as a Follower on the right-hand side. So why not do it?

I am hoping to reach the goal of 100 followers by the end of the year - a great time to receive a free holiday gift - don't you think?

So keep reading, keep following, and let others know about this awesome opportunity. I'll be posting pics of some fabulous products in the upcoming weeks :)

Thanks a lot ladies and gents - hope you have a great Saturday!

- Anjali

Choo it up this Saturday!

Only two more days until the launch of Jimmy Choo's new collection for H&M! Shoe Freaks and Label Lovers around the world will be lining up on Saturday morning awaiting an entrance to heaven: shoes, purses, clothes and accessories - all by Jimmy Choo, all made affordable and accessible by H&M. Could it get any better?

In anticipation of the Choo-frenzy, H&M is creating a queue system. Here's how it will work (in Canada at least):
- Shoes, bags and accessories will be displayed in a store within the larger H&M store
- The first 160 people in line will receive a wristband to enter this Choo paradise
- For the first 2 hours, shoppers will be allocated specific time slots, apparently in 10 minute intervals, to enter the designated Choo area
- Women's garments and men's clothing will be made available to everyone, without the need for a wristband
- After the first 2 hours, the designated accessory area will open to all shoppers - (if there's anything left!)

Here are some of my favs so far:



Imagine the possibilities with this blue suede beauty! Wear it casually with opaque tights and flat boots, or dress it up with a pair of rockin' heels. This would be so much fun for any occasion - a great piece to have in any closet!



I also loved this sequin top. Paired with dark, super skinny jeans and over-the-knee boots, or with a sexy pair of sandals, this is perfect for a night out! It's definitely a layered look with class - I'd love to get my hands on it!



Some other favs include these rockin' heels (seriously, where can you get Jimmy Choo's for under $200???)...


...and these accessories:


You can check out the rest of the collection on the H&M website.

Unfortunately I will not be able to go...the only stores in Toronto that are carrying this collection are downtown (15 Bloor West and Eaton Center)...and that's a little out of my way on Saturday morning :( Well at least that's one less person you'll have to wrestle for a wristband!

Is anyone checking this out? If so, how early do you plan to be there? Let me know what you come back with :)

Happy Shopping!

Colour of the Season: O.P.I Pamplona Purple

Every time I walk by a certain salon in Toronto's PATH on my lunch break, I eye their huge selection of O.P.I nail polishes. So finally, 3 weeks ago, I decided to pick some up. Tonight was my first opportunity to try on "Pamplona Purple" from the Coleccion de Espana and I love it!

I was really attracted to this one specifically because rather than a blueish undertone, it's more fuchsia-pink, making it very corporate-work appropriate. The colour is one that would compliment any skin tone so it's very versatile (great gift for the holidays!). Like most O.P.I polishes, it went on totally smooth, with rich, bright colour in the first coat...but I like to add more, so I did 2 applications, and finished with a clear topcoat. Here it is:

With the flash:

Without the flash:

I don't typically like too much colour on my hands, but this was too good to give up! I'm looking forward to seeing it tomorrow in the daylight and at work.

What nail colours are you rockin' this Fall?

Weekend Looks: More Blue, Bridal & Casual!

I had another makeup session with my cousin Aanchal this weekend! It's so convenient that we live (literally) just down the street from each other! Aanchal loves blue and turquoise..and because I had just blogged about it, I thought it was very fitting to show another variation of a blue look! Here it is:

To achieve this look, I used a light, shimmery base and blended a deep dark blue, a turquoise shimmer powder, and a pure black shadow in the crease and outer corner of the eye. I lined the lid with blue eye liner on the top, black liner on the bottom, and a line of turquoise shimmer powder under the eye. What a great look for a wedding, a formal or a special night out!


The second time around, we went for a more subtle, bridal look - and even attempted a video (I hope it works!!!):

(yes that's me asking her to "look up" at the end...lol)

For bridal makeup, I like neutral colours that have a subtle intensity. This would have been perfect with fake lashes - although Aanchal barely needs them (her lashes are amazing!). We added a pop of bright pink blush and rosy lipstick and gloss...this look was amazing on her...do I hear wedding bells Aanchal???? :P
I would like to expand more on the application of bridal makeup, but really need to get to bed soon, so watch for a separate post on this topic in the upcoming weeks :)

The final set of photos are from Friday. It was casual day at work, so I decided to stay neutral with my makeup. Of course I was eager to sample the colours of my latest purchase, the DuWop Peacock Palette (see this post)...so I tried a blend of Bronze and Chocolate, the two brown shades on the bottom left. Once again, I was very pleased with the outcome! The shadows went on so smoothly, giving complete and lasting coverage for over 12 hours. Check it out:


Those were my looks for the weekend - I hope you enjoyed the pics! Remember, I am just an email away (anj.handa@gmail.com) for all your makeup needs!

Much love,
Anjali

5 Steps to Looking More Awake in the Mornings!

Wow the past few days have been such a blur for me! I've had so much going on (with work, volunteering, attending events, etc.) that I've barely had a second to myself...until now :)
In the midst of it all I was finding that even though I'd be in bed by around midnight, I wouldn't be falling asleep until 1:30am. I'd go through a very disruptive night (waking up every hour and a half - too much on my mind I guess!), just to get out of bed 5 hours later.

As you can imagine, such a cycle can take its toll on your body. I really felt it yesterday morning when I woke up feeling as though I had never even slept. My eyes were heavy, a little bit puffy, and I could see darkish circles forming underneath them. My skin felt tight, as if I was dehydrated and I felt that my natural colour was fading a bit. (It's amazing what lack of sleep can do to you!)

Of course I was running late (what else is new?) and needed a quick fix to brighten up my face and make me look as if I was actually awake! I managed to do it in 5 easy steps:

1) Prep the face: Rinse with cold water and moisturize -the cold water always wakes me up in the morning and the moisturizer is an essential part of my beauty regime!

2) Even it out: Apply face makeup - depending on your skin type and the amount of coverage you want, this is your concealer, foundation, and or face powder...I typically only use MAC's Studiofix in C40 all over the face and neck - it gives lasting coverage in all the right places!

3) Brighten up those eyes: Apply a highlighter only to the brow bone and inner corner of the eye. I used my new Kat Von D dual eyeshadow in Believer - just the perfect blend of shimmer and silvery sparkle!

To further open the eye, use a liner on the bottom only (applying on the top typically closes the eye). Also, add a healthy dose of mascara to curled lashes - don't forget to apply to bottom lashes to really give an opening effect.

4) Add that glow: Apply blush or bronzer to the cheeks, temples and chin. This will add dimension and colour in all the right places!

5) Gloss it up!: Apply a light or clear lip gloss - the shine will pick up and reflect the light, enabling a beautiful glow!

By the time I was done, I ended up with this:


I was quite pleased with this look - it only took me 5 minutes and gave the appearance of a fresh, glowing face, even though I was exhausted after a restless 5 hours of sleep...

How many of you struggle with the 5 minute face? What is your quick fix? I'd love to hear about your routine - I am always looking for new ideas so drop a line!

DuWop Peacock Palette - much love!!!

As you know, I got this beauty (to the right ->)
yesterday as a little treat! I was in need of a fresh addition to my eye makeup drawer and stumbled upon the DuWop Peacock Palette. The minute I saw the two top colours, Deep Lavendar and Bright Teal, I knew she was coming home with me!!

I had never used DuWop product before so was curious to see what it was like...and now, I am absolutely in love :)

As I was applying Deep Lavendar on my eyes this morning, the first thing I noticed was the smooth texture of the eye makeup - honestly, it felt like I was painting colour onto my eyes! These powdered shadows go on just like a cream - they are bright, highly pigmented, and travel very well across the lid. With that, I expected the colour to fade and to have major creasing issues by the end of the day - we've all experieced that horror at some point haven't we? Well, I am proud to say that it is now 11:30pm and the colour is still going strong! No crease, no fade, no worries! This truly is a long-lasting eye shadow that is perfect for all-day wear.

Pic without flash:

With flash:

I paired this rockin' shadow with MAC's Nymphette lipglass (one of my ultimate favs) and another generous dose of pink blush...a perfect Fall look!
I am very excited to try the remaining colours of the palette - I heart new stuff!

Have you tried DuWop products? How do you find the coverage? Drop me a line :)