Back in Feb!

I am writing this because I am totally embarrassed at the infrequency of my blog posts.
To my readers - I deeply apologize. I have no excuse other than the fact that things are getting very busy on my end. I have tons of new ideas and insights to share, but unfortunately it will have to wait until February. So please don't lose faith in me - I am always thinking of writing...just give me a few days to get back my life back on track and I'll be up and writing again.

In the meantime, you can check out the Rock that Look Fan Page on Facebook.

I hope all of you are fabulous :)

- Anjali

Photoshoot with Ken Yan, Part 2

Here are the pictures of model 2, Shruti Khanna, from my photo shoot with photographer Ken Yan. Shruti was an absolute doll to work with!!! I look forward to further collaborations with both Ken and Shruti :)

Model: Shruti Khann

MUA: Anjali Handa
Photography: Ken Yan

And here is one from my little digi cam:

If you like this look or have any questions, be sure to leave a comment or send me an email (anj.handa@gmail.com) directly - I'm happy to re-create this look on you!

Attn: Beauty Counters - Know Your Competition

As my regular readers would know, my go-to face makeup is MAC Studio Fix in C40. What started as skin sensitivity issue (MAC was one *affordable* product that did not worsen the breakouts I experienced in my early 20's) has now turned into a comfortable habit. It's like clockwork - as soon as I see the silver lining of my Studio Fix case, I head straight to MAC to buy my replacement powder. Today that familiar silver coating started to surface... but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and head to a different counter. Afterall, many beauty experts argue that brands like Lancome, Dior and Makeup Forever have a formula that is much superior to MAC's - I just need to try this out!

So today, I found myself at the Lancome counter - Sears is giving away a free gift with the purchase of $34 in Lancome products...who would say "no" to a free gift? I decided to try out the Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup. As the Lancome employee was helping to match my colour (which is Matte Nu III by the way), I happend to ask "How does this makeup compare to Dior?"
What amazes me most about this entire experience is the look that crept on her face after my question - completely dumbfounded, as if no one has ever asked for a comparison. Her response (with a hint of attitude): "It's up to the buyer, I'm not going to bash Dior to make Lancome look good, you buy whatever you like".
Now you tell me, is that an appropriate response? I was basically giving her an opportunity to sell her product, to make me believe that Lancome was superior, but for some reason she couldn't handle it and got defensive. So I said again: "I'm not asking you to bash Dior, I just want to know what's good about Lancome's powder?".
To that, she responded by telling me it comes with two applicators so I can apply it wet or dry. That's it. Apparently all the benefits of the Lancome powder lie in it's applicators. "Okay...is there anything else you can tell me about how this product compares?"
She pretty much laughed in my face and said "I work for Lancome, I don't know the other brands...you have to try them yourself".
At that point, I was ready to tell her that The Bay employees know what they're talking about so I'm better off going there...BUT the free gift was staring me in the eye...4 eye shadows, 1 liptick, 1 mascara, and a few creams...and I caved. "All right, I guess that's all you have to offer, let's find my colour" - and so we did...and I am never going to that specific Lancome counter again.

Had this been a secret test on customer service and sales skills, this employee would have FAILED. I really expected her to answer with something like "Our products are very comparable, but..." - fill in the blanks with all the good things about the Lancome powder. But she couldn't, so she didn't. These days, with the numerous makeup brands entering the market, I think it is absolutely essential for beauty counter employees to have at least some knowledge of their competitors' products. Many customers (especially those of the makeup junkie sort) know what's out there - we are constantly reading blogs and articles on all the products in the market...so if the Lancome employee cannot tell me how her product compares, unfortunately she is not representing her brand, and the company is losing sales. This is why I favour store concepts like that of Sephora - every employee is an expert in every brand, so she/he can give a real comparison based on the customer's needs.

I really think department stores need to change their approach (as mentioned in this post)...apparently they are working on it, but clearly, they need to move faster - I am never going to the Sears Lancome counter again.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with my opinion on the Lancome employee's response? Should Beauty Counter employees know the benefits of their competitor's products? I'd love to hear your comments.

Photoshoot with Ken Yan, Part 1

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I worked on a shoot with photographer Ken Yan in December. I did the makeup for two models, one of which was my cousin, Aanchal Behl. Check out her photos below!

Model: Aanchal Behl
MUA: Anjali Handa
Photography: Ken Yan

And here are some behind the scenes pics :)


I'll be posting pics of my second model, Shruti Khanna, very shortly.

Have a great rest of the weekend :)

Day to Evening using Vasanti Arctic Shimmer

As you may know, Vasanti Cosmetics is supporting an anti-poverty fundraiser and awareness campaign called Wear White 4 Windfall. If you are not aware, you can read more about it here.
All proceeds from the sales of Vasanti's Arctic Shimmer and Snowflake Shimmer Powders are going towards the WW4W campaign.
I have both of these shimmers and absolutely love them!!!

Arctic Shimmer is a luminous, pure pigment powder that will brighten any face. This is an easy shade to use for a day or an evening look and can be used on the eyes, cheeks and/or body!
Snowflake is probably the most fun you'll have with sparkle! It's a light powder that can be dusted across your face or body to add pizazz to any look.

Here are the swatches:

To show how easy it is to use the Shimmer Powders, I created two looks using Arctic Shimmer. I love that this product is buildable - I did not remove anything from Look 1 when creating Look 2 - I simply added some shadow to make it an evening look:


Look 1:
1) Dip a flat eyeshadow brush in Arctic Shimmer Powder and pat over the entire lid
2) Use a fan brush to sweep away any excess dust
3) Finish the look with eyeliner and mascara to your discretion (I used black liner on the waterline and thin line on the top of the lid with mascara on the top lashes only)


Look 2:
Follow Steps 1-3 from Look 1
4) Use a black shadow (I used Vasanti Brasov) to shade the crease and outer corner of the eye
5) Dip a small fluffy brush in Arctic Shimmer and apply to the brow bone and inner eye corners for a brightening highlight

See? Two looks can be created very easily using one shimmer powder. My tip is to use a base on the eyelid to avoid creasing and to allow the pigment to really show. I used MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre.

I'll be working a Vasanti Event at Shoppers Drug Mart in Ajax (Westney Rd. & Hwy #2) on Saturday from 4pm to 7pm. Stop by if you are in the area - we can create an Arctic Shimmer look just for you :)

Also, the WW4W campaign is only on until January 31st, so remember to pick up your shimmers next time you are in a Rexall or Shoppers Drug Mart.

Have a great night!

Smokey Evening Look - Photoshoot

As you may remember, I completed the Professional Makeup Artistry course with Kavita Suri. It ended with a professional photo shoot for which I chose to do a smokey evening look on my friend (and awesome model) Lindsay. The photos and are in!!! Here they are:

We obtained this look using all Vasanti products, with the exception of the Quo eyelashes.
Here are some backstage pics just for fun:

Since then I've done another photo shoot with photographer Ken Yan. I'll be posting those this week :)

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Vasanti Supports Wear White 4 Windfall

If you haven't heard by now, I'd like to inform you of an awesome anti-poverty initiative that Vasanti Cosmetics is supporting. Windfall is a Clothing and Basic Needs bank based in the Greater Toronto Area. They assist homeless and emergency shelters by providing donations of new clothing and basic needs items to 90 social service agencies in the GTA.

Wear White 4 Windfall is their annual awareness and fundraising campaign and is taking place throughout the month of January. You can help raise awareness by wearing something white on Thursday, January 28th and donating $4 in support of Windfall.

You can also visit your local Vasanti counter anytime in January and purchase Arctic Shimmer and Snowflake Shimmer Powders. As you can see in the flyer above, all proceeds from these two products will go to the WW4W initiative. These shimmer powders are absolutely gorgeous - I have them both and will feature them in some upcoming posts, so make sure you check back for some tips on how to use them!

I will be supporting the cause on the 28th at Rexall Pharama Plus in Ajax, located at 475 Westney Road North (905-428-3777). I will be there from 6pm to 9pm (dressed in all white of course!) doing free Vasanti makeup consultations - be sure to make an appointment or drop by if you are in the area!

If you have place to call home and a closet full of clothes, you're already better off than over 3,000 families in Toronto who are living in shelters. Take a moment and reflect on what you have...isn't it time you helped the less fortunate?

5min Must-Have Face

This is a follow-up to yesterday's post, "My 5 Makeup Must-Haves". It turns out, my in-a-hurry routine literally takes 5 minutes! It's true - even my iPhone says so:

Just to recap, I only used my 5 makeup Must-Haves:
- Face Powder
- Eyeliner
- Mascara
- Blush
- Gloss

Here's the result:

So this is proof that it doesn't (and shouldn't) take hours to achieve a completely wearable look.
There goes my excuse for tardiness lol!

In a Hurry? My 5 Makeup 'Must-Haves'

I often find myself racing against the clock. It doesn't really matter what time of day - whether it's in the morning as I am getting ready for work, or in the evening while I'm primping up for drinks or dinner, somehow, I am always running late. I guess Dave Howlett noticed this in my last post because he posed the question: What are 5 mistakes women make when applying makeup in a hurry?

I sat on this question for an hour or two. Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes...while I could name off a few "mistakes", I don't think they are a result of being in a hurry. It's more of a lack of knowledge on how to use the product, or a refusal to stay up-to-date with makeup trends (I'll be blogging about this soon!). Also, what may be a mistake to one person could certainly be intentional for another.

So instead of thinking about mistakes I make in a hurry, I thought about what I do right and came up with 5 must-haves - the go-to items I know I can rely on when I only have 10min to get ready. Here they are (listed in the order I apply them):


Makeup Must-Have #1: Face Makeup (1min)
For me, it's MAC Studio Fix in C40. For you, it may be liquid foundation, loose or pressed powder, or even a touch of concealer. I have a slight redness in the cheeks, my forehead is darker than the rest of my face, and I have an oily t-zone, so I like to matify and even-out before heading out! This takes about 30sec-1min to apply to the entire face.

Makeup Must-Have #2: Eye Liner (1min)
I have been addicted to eyeliner since 1997, when I tried my mother's black eyeliner for the first time. I used to apply it just to the waterline and pair it with a chocolate brown lipstick (remember brown lips???). Now, I wear it on the waterline, but typically also add a thin line on top of the lid. I swear by MAC's Graphblack retractable liner. This adds about 1 minute to my routine.

Makeup Must-Have #3: Mascara (3min)
While my lashes are relatively long, they naturally point downward, so I always use mascara to redirect them! Right now I am using Benefit's BADgal lash (read about it here). I usually spend the most time applying mascara - I like to be precise, giving equal coverage to all my lashes while avoiding hitting my skin with the wand. I would say this takes about 2-3 minutes.

Makeup Must-Have #4: Blush/Bronzer (30sec)
After applying my face makeup, I find the look to be a little pale, so I always dust bright pink blush on the cheek bones. I like the warmth a good blush or bronzer adds to the face. I'm currently using MAC Powder Blush in Feeling. This takes approximately 20 seconds to apply.

Makeup Must-Have #5: Lip Gloss/Lipstick (30sec)
I absolutely must have something on my lips - especially in the cold, dry winter weather. I like sheer, pearly glosses and pink lipsticks.

Technically it adds up to 6 minutes, but I am pretty sure this takes me about 10-12min in the morning. I will most likely be rushing tomorrow morning, so I'll try to time myself and verify this :)

When I have a little more time, I add the Nice-to-Haves...for me, they include:
- primers
- eyeshadow
- concealer
- lip liner
- brow filler

How much time do you leave yourself to do makeup in the morning? When you are in a rush, what are your Must-Haves? What are your Nice-to-Haves?

Rockin' that "New Years" Look

This is a little late but I wanted to show you my New Years look - we celebrated at Pravda Vodka Bar in Toronto. This shot of me is not so good, but we didn't have time for pre-party pictures so this was the best I could do as we were rushing out the door!:

Face:
- Primer - Lancome Perfecting Makeup Base (smooth as a baby's bottom!)
- Powder - MAC Studio Fix in C40
- Blush - MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Feeling

Eyes:
- Primer - Mac Paint Pot in Soft Ochre (a great neutral primer for my skintone!)
- Base - shadow in the 1st column, 2nd row of the Cargo Hands of Hope palette - unfortunately the shades don't have names...I first wrote about the palette here
- Crease - same palette as above, but the shadow in the 3rd column, 3rd row - sorry I can't be more specific :(
- Liner - MAC Graph Black
- Lashes - Quo False Lashes #808

Lips:
- Lancome Juicy Tubes Jelly in Miracle

Hairband from Bitter Sweet - boxing day sale, buy 1 get one free, I couldn't resist!

Here is the total look for the evening (again, not the best angle, but we were rushing!):

I wanted something fun, classy, and not over-the-top. How'd I do?

This is Me: 7 random facts

I was tagged by the very trendy, very glamorous Veronika to share 7 random/quirky facts about myself. I think this is a fun way for my readers to learn more about me...so here we go!

1. I eat apple cores - I can't explain why...it's just something I've done since childhood! All that's left of my apples is the stem.

2. I have size 11 feet - this makes shoe shopping extremely difficult...but maybe it's a good thing - saves me a whole lotta cash.

3. I love sandwiches - if I could eat everything in the form of a sandwich I'd be the happiest girl in the world!

4. I am terrified of birds - as a child I had some frightening experiences and as a result, I feel anxiety when anything flies around me.

5. I never honk at other cars on the road or flip the bird - I hate the way it feels to be on the receiving end of road rage, so I try to never make anyone feel that way.

6. I've never smoked anything - enough said.

7. Jersey Shore is my new guilty pleasure - as trashy and horrible as it is, I can't stop watching!

Should they wish to participate, I nominate these fellow bloggers to share their quirky facts:

Faces by Farah
Lipstick Rules
Too Much Blush
Love Lipstick and Lime
Listen to Lena
Ms. Jenn
Lipgloss Gossip

What would YOU like to share?