It’s late at night after a long, long day.  You are tired and want nothing more than to crawl into your bed and fall instantly asleep.  But you know you need to take your makeup off because if you don’t you will wake looking like a zombie with your mascara half way down your face.  And let’s not even consider what will happen to your skin if you make a habit out of leaving your makeup on overnight.  *shudder*  

But I get it, I have been there too, and you know when it comes right down to it, sometimes you just want to go to bed right now...

Ever heard of Micellar cleansing products?  More and more companies are introducing Micellar products into their lines.  These products are in a liquid form and you simply put some on a cotton pad and swipe it across your face to remove all makeup and impurities.  There is some fancy science behind all of this (things like molecular structure and other such beauty nerd details) that I won’t get into here, but at a very basic level, the micellar solution binds to anything on your face that isn’t water.  So it doesn’t dry out your skin, but it does allow you to wipe off everything that shouldn’t naturally be there.

Besides trimming your beauty routine down, Micellar products do have other advantages.  They are great for sensitive or dry skin that cannot handle a soap based cleanser, or that typically have reactions to skin care products.  I can definitely see how those with sensitive skin would love micellar cleansing.

And many people really do love micellar products.  Personally, I would love to know how women are actually getting this stuff to remove waterproof eye makeup.  I understand the science behind why it should work, but I am telling you, I have spent countless nights the last few weeks trying all of these products and I can’t get my eye makeup off unless I rub so hard my eyelashes start coming out.  Yeah, not pretty.  I realize not everyone wears waterproof makeup, so if you don’t give these a try, but if you are part of the waterproof gang, sorry ladies, don’t dispose of your eye makeup remover quite yet.

Marcelle Essentials Soothing Cleaning Water - This is a nice light product that did help me wipe away foundation, but it took multiple passes over my skin to get it truly clean.  I call this my “3 cotton pad” cleanser, because I have to use, on average, 3 pads a night before makeup finally stops coming off my face and I can assume I am clean and makeup free.  This would be good for a light makeup user, maybe someone who doesn’t wear a foundation, rather a tinted moisturizer type of girl.  One very positive note on this one, it didn’t sting my eyes at all.

Dermaglow Micellar Water-Based Cleanser - This one had better cleansing power, it felt like my skin was clean after using it, but, I also found I am using it up much faster compared to standard cleansers.  There is no skin tightness after, there is no residue left behind, it just feels like water.  But, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do what I did and assume this product is for your eyes.  It calls itself a makeup remover, and to me, that means you can use it on your eyes.  I even read the packaging and nothing said “keep away from eyes” so I dove right in.  Holy burning eyeballs!  You know that feeling when your shampoo accidentally drips in your eyes?  Yeah, multiply that by a thousand and you have the pain that you will experience if you try to use this product on eye makeup.

Once my vision was restored I looked online and their website says you should use it on your “eye contour” area.  Um, no.  Oh heck no.  

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution - This cleanser did remove all makeup and oil from my skin and left it feeling fresh and natural.  It did not sting my eyes (yay!) but it was another that just didn’t budge my mascara without some serious rubbing.  This one seems like it will last longer than the Dermaglow, my guess is because the Dermaglow is a pump and this is a bottle.

So after all of my experimentation, if I am honest, I am not a huge fan of micellar products.  Maybe it is my skin type (combination), maybe it is my love of waterproof eye makeup, maybe it is psychological and washing away makeup with a standard cleanser and water at the end of the day just feels cleaner to me, but the micellar products I tried just didn’t thrill me.  Not something I would put on my must have list unless you have very sensitive skin and need to try something very mild.

Sweet dreams beauty junkies, and don’t forget to wash your face!
 

Now that the drizzle of fall has come back full force let’s make ourselves feel better and talk fall makeup, shall we?

Every fall I try to console myself with some beautiful new fall shades to momentarily forget my perpetually wet toes.  This year the choices out there are endless and exciting, and there is something for everyone!

Lise Watier has released a beautiful fall line, Equinoxe.  There is a gorgeous Quatuor Eye Shadow Quad, Wet & Dry, which has a lovely dark taupey grey, a light dove grey, a soft brown and a vibrant blue.  The shades work together in a number of different combinations that vary from natural to dramatic and fun.  Work Metamorfix Liquid Transformer into one of the darker shades and use it as a liner for a more defined look.

Also included in the Equinoxe collection is a Duo Bronze & Glow Face and Cheek Powder.  The idea of the bronzer and blush combination is to help you extend your summer glow a little bit longer.  Not really a new idea, but what I wasn’t expecting is how luminating this product is.  It does give you a summer glow even as the sun goes into hibernation again, but it also brings your skin to life.  I am really impressed, and to be fair, I don’t typically care for bronzer blush duos, but I am really glad I gave this one a try.

Chanel’s fall line Collection Illusions D’Ombres De Chanel is inspired by precious metals and jewels.  It has the coolest new product I have tried in a long time.  The Illusions D’Ombres are an eye product that I can only describe as a cross between mousse and jello.  The texture is soft and can build from light to dramatic, the colours all sparkle and shimmer and create a beautiful wash of colour on the eye.  You can use it as an eye shadow or as a liner.  It wears like cement, it doesn’t budge for hours on end and the colour stays true and beautiful.  LOVE this product, and although the price is going to sting a bit, if you are looking for a splurge in your fall makeup collection this would be the one I would suggest.   

Chanel also introduced a new nail colour, Graphite, for the fall.  It is sparkly and changes it’s appearance based on the light.  It is described as a metallic silver, however, the glitter and shimmer in it is multi-coloured, with some warm tones that reflect brightly in sunlight changing the look of the polish from cool to warm.  Pretty neat on the toes or on shorter fingernails for a night on the town.

I recently discovered L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof mascara.  I prefer waterproof given our rainy days so I don’t have my mascara migrate down my face in the drizzle, and this one is a winner.  Reasonably priced, it separates my lashes nicely, gives them great volume and no clumping.  Even though it is waterproof I find it it is gentle enough to use on my sensitive eyes and lasts for an entire day.  This one is definitely worth a try next time you need some mascara.

Lastly, I have developed a hard core addiction to Fusion Beauty LipFusion Tinted Lip Balm SPF 15 in Bitten.  Ignore the colour on the side of the box, this is not pink at all, the balm itself is red and when you wear it, it takes your natural lip colour and makes it look one shade darker.  Perfect for a naturally defined lip, and the balm leaves them smooth and soft.  A nice way to transition from summer to fall and repair your lips from long days spent in the sun and surf.  

Enjoy picking out some new fall goodies to cheer you up on the dreary days to come Stimulistas!

by Carissa Halley
Contributor

I have seen many things my friends.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for the experience I had at the MAC Cosmetics Typography party I was invited to in Yaletown this summer.

The invitation noted it was an exploration of the art of typography as visualized on the human body.  Hmmm...um, ok?  

Not knowing exactly what that meant I hit google.  And clicked on images.  Did a double take, went back to check what exactly I had googled.  Because what I was seeing was naked men and women painted head to toe with words, letters and numbers.  Seems MAC had already held Typography events in Miami and Toronto and there were lots of pictures to show me what to expect.

Was this really what MAC Cosmetics was inviting me to?  What did this have to do with product reviews?  Most importantly, did I have the guts to attend?

Now I am no shrinking violet (in fact, as I type this I hear those of you who know me well howling with laughter at the thought of anything embarrassing or shocking me), but the idea of walking around a party by myself looking at painted naked models, well, even I am not that brave.

So I did what any hesitant but intrigued Stimulista would do and sent a text message to a good friend and photographer asking her if she wanted to come with.  I believe the text was something like “want to come see naked painted people at a party with me downtown?”.  Her reply “sounds like fun” made me rest at ease knowing at least one of us was grown up enough to handle the experience.

The week leading up to the event was marked with only one question, what does one wear to such an event?  Honestly, I was stumped.  Not wanting to stand out I took to Facebook to ask my friends what they suggested.  My favourite answer -  “it doesn’t matter what you wear, with a room full of naked models, no one will be looking at you”.  True enough.  Black pencil skirt, white blouse, chunky red belt and matching red clutch and I was good to go.  I knew I needed the highest heels I could handle, being vertically challenged, I really didn’t want to be at the wrong height and come face to face with the wrong area of the painted models.  Awkward...stilettos it would be.

On the night of the party my girlfriend and I headed into Vancouver and grabbed an early dinner at the Hamilton Street Grill.  And so, our night began.

One lovely meal later we had dubbed our adventure the “Painted Junk Tour”.  Filled with newfound bravado (aka some drink with a lot of alcohol in it) we headed over to the Roundhouse in Yaletown where the show was being held.

This was it.  The big moment.    

A non-descript door with a gaggle of MAC employees and a clip board welcomed us, and we were checked off the guest list and ushered inside.  Deep breath, in we went.

Well...hello!!!!

The room was dark with a rave like atmosphere, a DJ played techno music in one corner and the floors simply bounced along with the bass.  Fabulous people filled every nook and cranny.  As a people watcher I was in my element.  Never had I seen such an eclectic mix of people in one room in my life.  Immediately a male model walked over and offered us a glass of wine.  Another came over with canapes.  A girl could get used to this kind of treatment.

And then the “Painted Junk” came into view.

Wow.

You simply had to marvel at the work the makeup artists had done.  Two female models rotated on a platform, one in yellow with black words and one black with yellow words, one symbolizing current words and the other symbolizing words that are now considered out of date.  These particular models took a team of 8 make-up artists over 7 hours to create.

Another model stood in a box that was lit with black lights, his body was black except for neon pink words on him that glowed in the black light.

A male and female model were painted to blend in with a background of numbers.  A female model was lying on her side on a table, and painted to say “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”.

A pair of male models had been painted like a sunset, head to toe in brilliant oranges, reds and yellows, and then on top someone had painstakingly glued googly eyes, yes, googly eyes, on them to spell out “Imagine me and you together, I do”.

One male model stood alone, he was painted white with black letters all over his body.  He looked like a piece of paper that someone had used in a typewriter (yes, remember those old things?).  We referred to him as “Mr Typography”.  You only need to check out our photos to understand why.  *fans self*

The last model was a man painted all in black, and he had letters from prominent brands placed on his body.  It took you a moment to realize all his letters were associated with a brand, but let me tell you, I may never look at the letter “i” from Chapters/Indigo the same way again.

The painting was fascinating, but just when you found yourself admiring the artistry, one of the models would move or speak, and you would be brought back to the realization this person was standing naked in all their glory right there in front of you.  Bless their hearts, how they did it, I will never know.

They posed for photos with the guests like you would expect to pose next to your Great Aunt Matilda.  It was fascinating.  Not wanting to be left out I shyly asked if I could have a photo with one of the models.  It was one of those moments where you aren’t really sure if you want to do it, but you know you will regret it if you didn’t participate.  So I did.  And now I have one of the strangest photos of myself I will ever have.  Not exactly one for the Facebook profile but fun all the same.

After about an hour my girlfriend and I decided we had looked at the “painted junk” for about as long as we could, and decided to call it a night.  For my part, my feet were screaming from the heels, and I’ll own it, my Spanx were becoming more and more uncomfortable as the night progressed.  I wanted my yoga pants and beaten up old UBC tee.  One can only hang with the fabulous people for so long before one recalls she is actually a mom to two who lives in the suburbs and has to work the next morning.  What can I say, I’m not 21 anymore.  Sigh.

Anyhow, thank you MAC Cosmetics for one of those experiences I can tell my completely flabbergasted grandchildren about when I am old and gray.

And thanks to my confident girlfriend Kristine, who is one of the only people I know confident enough to walk both of us into a room of naked gorgeous people like it was something we do everyday.  

Since this column is really about beauty products, I will leave you with a couple of can’t miss items from MAC.

Mineralize SPF 15 foundation is awesome, it is a cream that dries to a powder, gives lovely buildable coverage and blends like a dream.  If you are a fan of mineral makeup, but find the powders emphasize those pesky fine lines or dry patches, this is perfect for you.

Do you like MAC Lip Glass but hate the sticky factor?  The the new Cremesheen Glass is for you.  It gives the same high gloss shine as MAC’s famous Lip Glasses, but it is soft like a cream, no sticky to be found.  

The last recommendation I have for you today is the new Mineralize Eye Shadows.  Pretty colours swirl together to form one of a kind shades that vary from product to product, and truly, from use to use.  Depending on where I rub my brush, the same pot of shadow can give me about 4 different shades.  It’s a great fun new product and upholds the same typical MAC quality we have all come to know and love.

Until next time Beauty Junkies, keep on playing, and remember, makeup is meant to be fun.  Break a few rules, try something new, be brave, and maybe you will end up with a crazy photo to show your grandchildren as well.

by Carissa Halley
Contributor

 

Like 99.9% of you reading this, I’m a Canucks fan.  Not a recent bandwagon fan, a 30+ years of yelling at the TV screen fan.  I remember the 1982 Stanley Cup Final (and I am not that old, this was one of my first memories), I was finishing off high school during the 1994 Playoffs, and now I get to share the 2011 run for the Cup with my 9 year old son, Jacob.

Jacob is my partner when we cheer for the Canucks in this house.  My husband is among the 0.01% of the Province who won’t cheer for the Canucks (and the fact we still got married is proof love is blind).  My daughter Lauren is completely indifferent.  She cheers, but she just doesn’t have the Canuck fan passion yet.  Give her time, she’ll get there.

Back to Jacob and I - we scream, we cheer, we chant “Looooouuuuuuu...”, never have I had more fun than watching this great playoff run with a joyous child.

Jacob and I recently had an opportunity to go to a game together, something we jumped on and had one of our best mommy-son dates ever. But I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t work some downtown shopping into our game experience, and luckily Jacob was easily won over with the promise of a 40th Anniversary jersey, so away we went.

Now I know some of you are lucky enough to be heading into Vancouver to support our boys in blue over the next week or so.  I thought I should take this opportunity to tell you how to make the most of your trip in, what is worth the effort to find and buy, so you can sit rink side looking your best!

First stop on your way in should be Murale, in Oakridge Mall, Cambie and 41st.  As you work your way downtown this is a fun first stop. Murale is part of the Shoppers Drug Mart chain, but they carry only high-end, hard to find brands.  The beauty of this is that you can take your Shoppers Optimum card with you and earn points while you try cool new products.

Some of my must-have’s from Murale: Bobbi Brown.  Have you tried Bobbi Brown yet?  You need to. The Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner is virtually indestructible.  You put it on and it won’t budge, smear or disappear until you use a remover at the end of the day.  It glides on silky, has pretty colours, and is widely known as the best gel liner in the beauty business.  I am partial to the Graphite Shimmer, a dark grey with a hint of shimmer, it’s softer than a true black and easier to wear, but still neutral enough to blend in with your lashes and matches with all eyeshadow shades.

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is another item of makeup bliss.  I prefer the Rose Brick, but many people love the Nectar shade, which is a warmer colour than the rose.  Swirl this on to highlight your skin and add a sheer veil of colour that wakes you up and makes you look bright eyed and bushy-tailed, and off you go.  This is my quick fix on mornings where I woke up late and look like I hardly slept a wink.  The Face Blender brush that is included with each brick is such a great brush I would pay the price of the brick just to get that brush.  It is a miniature compared to the original Face Blender brush you can buy on it’s own, but that is part of it‘s charm.  This brush is big enough it blends everything flawlessly, but small enough I can make sure I am only hitting where I want to hit.  

Next on your list at Murale should be the Darphin line.  I’m not going to sugar coat it, be ready for sticker shock.  But this luxury is one of the splurges you should try to make, it is that good.  Now the entire line is lovely, but in the interest of not having to break the bank, let’s talk about the two I will skip Starbucks coffee for a month to afford.  Did I mention don’t forget your Shoppers Optimum card?  The points you earn towards free product will make these much easier to splurge on.

The Organic Tangerine Aromatic Care is an essential oil to combat the first signs of aging.  I have combination skin that breaks out sometimes (lucky me!) so I was skeptical about this.  Really, putting oil on my face?  But oh my heavens, my face, after using this at night, is softer than butter.  If I didn’t look like a weirdo I would walk around rubbing my own cheek, it’s that soft.  It’s so soft that make-up artists gush when they touch my skin.  I never thought I really cared about how soft my skin was, but let me tell you, when everyone starts carrying on about your skin you think, dang, I guess this product really is working.  And the smell - it’s wonderful.  It’s aromatic so it packs an aromatherapy punch too, as does most of this line.  

Next up is Arovita C Line Response Cream.  This is also formulated for the first signs of aging.  There is not too much to say about this cream other than I put it on, and my skin looks plumper, the little wrinkles seem to smooth away.  It isn’t heavy or greasy, it doesn’t sting like some wrinkle creams do, and I just find it soothing and lovely.  I can only compare it to my skin slipping into something a little more comfortable at the end of the day.  It makes my inner product junkie sigh with delight.  

Ok, enough about that, next you need to head downtown.  I always park at West Georgia and Richards.  It is within walking distance to Pacific Centre and Rogers Arena.  There is a White Spot right next to the parking, perfect to grab a quick dinner before heading into the game, especially if you have a 9 year old with you who prefers chicken strips and pirate packs over Gotham Steaks.  

Once you park head over to Pacific Centre.  Find Sephora.  It’s on the 2nd floor of the mall near the Dunsmuir entrance.

Welcome to makeup heaven.

Where to start?  First, take a deep breath, calm yourself, and head over to the Urban Decay aisle.  Before you do anything else, look to see if they have the Naked Palette in stock.  If they do, grab it quick before it sells out again and do a little happy dance.  Congratulations, you just secured the hottest, hardest to find makeup obsession of 2011. If you can find this palette, you want it.  Don’t hesitate.  Urban Decay eye shadow is creamy, soft, and wears like steel.  The colours, well, they aren’t really naked, they are more in the neutral but sparkly family, and they will make your eyes shine.

While there grab the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On eye liner pencil.  This is the softest eye liner pencil known to man.  It applies like a soft cream.  You also want the  24/7 Glide-On shadow pencil.  Again, soft, creamy and in a fabulous array of fun funky colours.  My favourite is Midnight Cowboy, a beige with a silver sparkle.  


Sephora makes a nice light day moisturizer, Sephora Instant Moisture - If You Only Try One.  It is one of their top sellers and I can tell why.  It’s light, it’s simple, there are no frills, it’s just a good day moisturizer.

When you go to check out, take your time and work your way through the smaller sized products that line the sides of the check out aisle.  You never know what little treasure might catch your eye.  On my Canucks-inspired shopping trip, I found a Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate calling my name.  It’s a nice coral colour, and it softens and moisturizes your lips with natural ingredients.  

After you are done with Sephora, time to head over to Holt Renfrew.  Go upstairs from Sephora to the 3rd floor and cross over into Holt.  Head to their cosmetics area and find the Nars counter.  

Now, Sephora sells Nars, but I find the makeup artists at Holt’s Nars counter more knowledgable, friendlier, and much more helpful.  It’s also a calm atmosphere after the craziness that is Sephora.  And my 9 year old appreciated the large fish tank next to the Nars counter while I did my thing.  Besides, you know you want to shop in Holt.  Don’t deny it.  There is something luxurious about walking out with a little pink Holt Renfrew bag.

Ok, at Nars, ask to try out the Orgasm line.  The Orgasm blush has a cult following.  Be careful how you ask for it, don’t do as I did and blurt out “I need more Orgasms”.  I didn’t need blush on my cheeks for a few minutes after that embarrassment, I was already ten shades of red.

I love the original Orgasm blush, it has a slight sheen to it and is a natural looking peachy pink.  If you want more colour try the Super Orgasm.  And no, I am not making this up.

I pair Orgasm blush with the Orgasm Illuminator (still not kidding).  It is a creamy highlighter with the slightest hint of colour that you use to give you that J-Lo glow that is so popular right now.  The makeup artist showed me how to blot it on with my fingertips along my cheekbones, along my hairline and basically pat it on lightly on any area you want to look like you are glowing from within.  It gives you that dewy, healthy, glowing skin look.  Love it.

Lastly, have the makeup artist help you select the perfect Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil.  It’s a gloss in a pencil - how cool is that?  I grabbed “Happy Days” to compliment my Orgasm glow (yeah, I know).  Just one word of warning, don’t leave this pencil in the bottom of your designer purse in hot weather.  Trust me.  I have heard horror stories.

And now you are ready to head over to Rogers Arena with a glowing complexion, pretty lips, a bevy of fun goodies to try at home, and cheer our team onto victory.

I believe in blue, but with the price of gas and my makeup addiction, I also believe in multi-purpose excursions and shopping my way to the game is a great use of time and resources.  Hopefully you have a willing partner for your shopping trip/Canucks game, if not, send me a message, I would be glad to accompany any of my fellow product junkies to a game.

Go Canucks Go!

by Carissa Halley
Contributor

Photo Credit:
Canucks Images from canucks.nhl.com