my favourite make-up products...

Make-up is a girl's best friend! Literally. It makes us feel beautiful, confident and sometimes (depending on the look) a little edgy and daring. Our world stops when we step into MAC, Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart. It's like a museum for an art freak or a moth to a flame. If you're like me, doing my make-up is the most crucial part of my morning because it determines my look for the day. Do I want to go for an edgy look with a dramatic smoky eye? Or do I want to keep it natural?
Everyone has their favourite products that they love and use everyday. I'll be telling you some of my favourite products that I recommend.

To start off, I took a make-up artistry diploma course and with the course we got a whole kit of Make Up For Ever products, therefore; I have A LOT of Make Up For Ever! I really do recommend this brand for basically any type of make-up. It is a little on the expensive side but it's long lasting and good quality so the cost is worth it.

The HD Microperfecting Primer works as a full face primer as well as an eye primer. It really hydrates the skin and helps to create a long lasting look so you don't have to constantly touch up throughout the day.

The HD invisible Cover Foundation is literally invisible and is oil-free. It doesn't look 'cakey' at all and because it's HD, one layer makes your face look like a clean canvas. This foundation is literally HD because it's used on people who are going to be seen on television. Before HD make up came along, when someone was going to have their make-up done for TV, it required lots of layers and looked horrible in person. Now, with Make Up For Ever's HD foundation, only one layer creates a picture perfect, TV ready complexion. Make Up For Ever is also one of the only companies that has the most foundation shades (26) from light to dark. For my personal use, I use two different shades. Shade 127 (left) for the summer time when I have a little colour and shade 120 (right) in the winter time when I'm looking a little pale.

One of my favourite make-up tools that I could not live with out is my Top Shop Kabuki brush. The Kabuki is the best blending tool out there and can be used to blend foundation, apply powder, bronzer and blush. Once again, the more you spend on a Kabuki, the better quality it is. I just recently bought this one because the last one I bought was cheap and every time I used it on my face, the hairs would fall out and get stuck on my face.

After applying my primer and foundation, I always use a powder to create a nice matte finish. My favourite is the Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder Foundation (Right). This gets rid of any shine that I have and also evens out the skin tone.

The Avon Glow Bronzing Powder (left) I actually use to contour, or as a blush. Just a little bit on the cheek bones to make them pop and it gives you an amazing glow.

The Make Up For Ever Double Ended Sculpting brush is extremely useful because it can be used to apply powder, blush and bronzer and it can be used to contour and highlight as well. Five brushes in one!

I think this product is on every girl's wish list. I just recently got this and I'm obsessed. The Urban Decay Naked2 Palette has twelve amazing shades which are all around the neutral and natural colours. Personally, I always wear browns so this palette is perfect for my every day applications. The best part is that there's a variety of matte shades and shimmery shades so you can create a nice evening look as well. Shade 'Blackout' is great to create a dramatic smokey eye for a fun night out, and shade 'Verve' is perfect to highlight the corners of the eye and under the eyebrow.

For liner I always use MAC's Fluidline Gel Formula liquid liner in 'Blacktrack'. This is the best liner to use for a perfect slick line that is smudge-proof and lasts all day. I've tried different kinds of eyeliner and this is the only one that will still be intact after a full six hour day of being out.
The brush I use is an angle brush that I can't remember where I bought but it wasn't expensive it was very cheap. Any angle brush is good to use with this type of gel liner, especially to create that little 'flick' at the end.

I use lots of mascaras and I'm not picky to any brand in particular because I find that any works fine, but Make Up For Ever's Smoky Lash mascara in "Rich Black" can literally give a person with the straightest eyelashes a beautiful curl. It gives volume and fullness and the secret is to apply a few layers to build up the lashes.

These are two of my favourite lip products that I use a lot. Firstly, I hope everyone has an EOS Lip Balm. It just hydrates your lips and makes them feel so fresh especially now in this harsh winter weather.

Make Up For Ever's Lip Line Perfector prevents your lipstick from bleeding and smudging. I love putting this on even under a lip liner because it's smooth and hydrating on your lips.

So this was one of my recent purchases that I am so happy with. I'm obsessed with lipstick, specifically red and I have about ten different kinds. I did not have a matte so I went to Sephora to look at the Laura Mercier lipstick. I was just going to buy the lipstick but then I found a set that came with lipstick, lipgloss and lip liner. The set of three was only a few dollars more than the lipstick on it's own so I thought, "what the heck?" that's a good deal!

The set comes with "Lip Glace" in "Poppy" which has a beautiful shine, "Rouge Nouveau Lip Colour" in "Mod" that is a stunning bright matte colour and a Lip Pencil in "True Red". I love this set and I definitely recommend Laura Mercier lipstick to anyone looking to buy a new one.

So that's the end of my list, for now.. I tend to obsess over specific products at different times so be on the look out for an update of some more products that I'll recommend! 

my Grammys best dressed picks!

There's nothing more that I love than award season. I'm talking SAG Awards, Golden Globes, Emmy's, Oscars and of course my favourite, The Grammys. I love everything to do with award shows: the pre-red carpet, the red carpet and of course the show itself. I love seeing the arrivals and the beautiful gowns that the stars wear and I'm always amazed at the hairstyles, jewellery and even the manicures that stylists put so much work into.
The 2014 Grammy's was pretty awesome this year with some amazing collaborations, a thirty-three couple marriage that made history and Jay-Z announcing that he's, "Got a new gold sippy cup for baby Blue." Although the show was amazing, I want to talk about the amazing outfits that appeared on the red carpet.
I'm going to tell you who was on my 'Best Dressed List of the 2014 Grammys'.

   To start off, I absolutely love this Alex Perry dress worn by Giuliana Rancic. That burned orange colour compliments her tanned skin beautifully and for being such a tiny woman, I think the dress hugs her curves in all the right places. I usually am not a fan of the halter top style on gowns, but this one looks great on Giuliana. Once again, for being such a small framed girl, the halter top accents her shoulders and makes her neck look nice and long.
I think she also chose a great hairstyle to compliment the gown. Giuliana has a large forehead and sometimes choosing to pull the hair back can work against her. In this case I think because the top of the dress is a little busy, it was nice to have her hair away from her face so that she didn't crowd the gown too much. I also love the dark eye makeup. I think her eyes really go well with the clutch she is carrying.
Love this look!

My next pick is Martina McBride in this stunning navy blue David Meister gown. It's so simple and elegant. This dress is as plain Jane as dresses get but she rocks it. That saying "less is more" totally applies here. This gown gives such a simple and beautiful shape to Martina, and the jewels and clutch she chose give it that little sparkle it needs. I am so glad that she went with silver accessories because it's bold against the dress but still looks classy and elegant.
Her hair is very simple as well and I'm glad she left it down because with the simplicity of this gown it adds a little 'oomph' to the ensemble.
I love the way her eye makeup is done here because it really brings out her blue eyes which match and compliment the gown. The glossy, light pink lip was another great choice because her eyes get all the attention.
Simple, yet classy!

Here's a close up on her amazing clutch by Oroton. The Swarovski crystals are captured incredibly by the camera.

My next pick is Kacey Musgraves in Armani Prive. So I have to say that I am not at all a big fan of these types of dresses. I find that they always look a little kiddish when worn and I just don't like the layered look, I think it always ends up looking way too busy. Although, Kacey's dress is my one exception. I think she looks absolutely stunning in this gown. I love the soft pink against her olive complexion, and the glitter accents give the dress such a delicate look. The top part of the dress is so beautifully put together and because the skirt has so much going on, I'm glad that the top is almost a transparent material that doesn't draw too much attention.
Her hair, a simple side bun, goes perfectly with this look. I'm glad she chose this hairstyle because in my opinion, if she had her hair down then it would possibly ruin the softness of her look.
I also love the soft makeup she has on. She has such a fresh face and the natural look with a pink, glossy lip completes the exquisiteness of her ensemble.
The minimal amount of accessories she chose to wear was a very good decision as well.
She looks like a fairy princess!

 Taylor Swift in this gold and silver metallic Gucci gown is phenomenal! This is definitely one of my ultimate favourite looks of the night. With her tall and slim figure, this dress looks as if it was made specifically for her body. There's sort of that unwritten rule where you shouldn't pair silver and gold together, but this dress totally breaks and conquers that rule! The silver accents around the waist, arms and neck stand out, but completely compliment her and the dress. The mesh top gives it that appear to be a sexy strapless dress, but doesn't give too much skin away. Her simple jewellery match the colours of her gown beautifully.








Her hair, a simple pony tail, doesn't simplify the dress at all. It allows us to see the gown without any distractions but from the back, creates a little excitement.
Her makeup is done perfectly as well - an elegant silver and grey smokey eye which brings out her amazing blue eyes. She looks exquisite!

Paris Hilton in Haus of Milani was my top pick for best dressed of the night! I can't get over this dress. Many people didn't like it but as soon as I saw her on the red carpet, I was in awe. To me, Paris' confidence is what makes the whole look. Her stance and her smile tell everyone that she knows she looks good. I love this about Paris.
The high neck is my favourite part of this dress. I think this look paired with her faux hawk up-do are a beautiful match together. I'm also in love with the design of this dress. The front is incredible - solid white with lots of glitter that catch the attention of the cameras. Then you have the back with amazing cut out designs that give it that "business in the front, party in the back" illusion. Her choice in minimal accessories - stud earrings and a ring was the perfect choice for this busy and extravagant look. That beautiful smokey eye gives her a little edge to go with this angelic themed look and it's not at all too bold. Paris, you get the Grammy for best dressed in my books!

So those are my picks for best dressed at the 2014 Grammy awards! Next up, The Oscars!