My morning routine takes about 30 minutes. But, there are days when I try to get an extra 15 minutes of sleep and find myself rushing out the door looking completely dishevelled. We all have days where we don’t exactly have to the time to perfect our look before work or school – that is exactly why we need to be prepared. Every lady must have a make-up bag that she can throw into her briefcase or backpack with the essentials to keep her looking prim and proper throughout the day. These are items that are compact so we can store them in our bag and pull them out whenever we need a touch up.

BEAUTY ON THE GO MUST HAVES:

Sephora Pop-Up Travel Brush – $8

This compact can easily fit into a clutch or even your pocket. The plus is that it comes with a mirror so when you find yourself in a windstorm on your way to the office you have the comfort of knowing that you can quickly brush out your hair and also check to make sure you don’t arrive with any debris in your curls.

Boscia Fresh Blotting Linens – $10

For those of us with oily skin, blotting is essential. These papers are perfect for controlling the shine you start to see on your face by midday. Just dab the sheet on the oily parts of your face and you will end up with a perfect matte look.

Sephora Cuticle Care Pen – $12

No time for a manicure? Don’t worry! We have it under control. Take a couple minutes to apply some moisture to your cuticles with this easy to use pen. It only takes a minute and you can let it dry while you check your emails.

Gucci Eau de Parfum II Purse Spray – $55

On my way back from lunch break the smell of the food I ate can linger on my clothes. This perfume is small enough to stash in your purse so that you can give yourself a quick spritz whenever things get a little stinky.

Stila Lip Glaze Lip Gloss- $22

The worst thing is dry and bland lips. Brighten up your smile with some gloss. This Stila gloss is so easy to use, the brush glides the glaze on smooth and it lasts all day.

Tarte Natural Beauty Cheek Stain – $28

Sitting in a cubicle can make you go pale. To brighten up your look carry some cheek stain in your bag. Just apply it to the apples of your cheeks and blend it with your finger. It only takes a second and it instantly makes you look alive.

Put it all in one of Sephora’s Signature Clear Makeup Bags (perfect for customs). The see-through pouch makes spotting what you need easier so you are not fishing around your bag for hours searching for your products.

[Source: Sephora]

Adorned’s favourite make-up artist, Anna Carina, tells us how to get that look.

Salutations Adorned readers,

Its no surprise that Natalie Portman’s 81st Academy Awards look was indeed a favorite of many. It was sheer, flawless and gave her the right dose of Hollywood glamour. Make-up artist Jeanine Lobell was inspired by Portman’s orchid Rodarte dress when creating this look, so she aimed for “cool, punk rock, sexy fairy make-up.”

Sounds a tad complicated, I know!
With these easy steps you too can look as fabulous as Portman did.

Eyes:
To achieve this subtle smoky eye look, Lobell used Chanel Silky Eyeshadow Duo in Orient Express.
Step One: Apply the pale pink as a base all over the eyelid and right up to the brow bone.
Step Two: To create the smoky eye effect, apply the dark purple hue all over the eyelid and to the crease. I like to say, “to each their own”, go as intense or as light as you want, not forgetting to blend.
Step Three: Smudge the same purple hue across the lower lash line adding more depth to the eye area.
Step Four: Use Le Crayon Khol in Black Jade to rim the top lid and the bottom waterline.
Step Five: To finish off the eyes, Lobell applied Inimitable Mascara in Noir Black on the lashes and used Chanel Perfect Brow in Brun to define Portman’s eyebrows.

Cheeks:
Use Chanel Powder Blush in Narcisse.
Apply the blush high on the cheekbones for a bright and radiant complexion.
Tip: Smile when applying so that you know exactly where it should go while blending upwards.

Lips:
My favorite part!
Lobell applied Chanel Glossimer in Galactic to unlined lips, which gave her the right amount of colour in an effortless way.

I hope with these tips, you are now on your way to creating your own improved version of this Oscar look.

For those of us who don’t have deep pockets to spend money on these higher priced Chanel cosmetics, here are a few that will do the trick at a lower price point.

Eyes:
For your eyeshadow, I recommend Revlon 12 hour ColorStay in Berry Bloom. It comes with two shades perfect for creating this look and even two other shades to customize it and make it your own. You can also try L’Oreal HiP High Intensity Pigments in Charisma 518. All for less than $12 at your local drugstore!

For lining the eyes, I like Bonne Bell Eye Definer Liners in Black. I always keep this in my kit and in my purse. It is only $2!

For mascara I strongly recommend Maybelline’s Colossal Volume Express in Glam Black. I use it as my everyday mascara and bring it to set. It gives my lashes volume, doesn’t flake and best of all no clumps! You can find it for only $7 at Wal-mart.

Cheeks:
I like L’Oreal Bare Mineral Blush in Soft Rose. It’s sheer, light and also comes with its own brush. It’s perfect for creating that fresh flush and who doesn’t love the lightness of mineral make-up? It’s only $15 and definitely worth it.

Lips:
I never shy away from trying glosses that are lower in price. You can find a lot of really great gloss’ for really great prices. Decide how much sparkle, shine and colour you want. My newest obsession is collecting Victoria Secrets Beauty Rush Lip Gloss’ for $7 each at La Senza. The texture is not too sticky, offers perfect shine and it smells/tastes great. My favourite shade is Strawberry Fizz.

Now everyone can achieve the “cool, punk rock, sexy fairy make-up” look that Natalie Portman showed us at the Oscars.

Don’t forget to work your office, dinner date or night on the town with your girlfriends as if it were the red carpet!

Till next time!
Anna Carina

http://makeupbyannacarina.blogspot.com

annacarina.s@gmail.com

When times are tough and I am in need of a quick fashion fix I turn to Joe Fresh – the affordable clothing line at your local Superstore. A cute $12 t-shirt is not only economical but it fills the void.

Well, how excited was I when I heard that Joe Fresh would be launching a beauty line? All under $10, this line of products is a much needed helping hand in this recession. Who can turn down a $6 mascara?

Along with the cosmetics Joe Fresh also has brushes, tweezers and manicure sets – updating your make-up bag has never been this easy.

My favourite piece in the Joe Fresh Beauty collection is their cheek tint. Only $4, the cheek tint, which comes in six colours, is the perfect way to go from blah to beautiful.

To view the full line of products visit Joe.ca.

]]> http://www.adornedmagazine.com/new-joe-fresh-beauty/feed/ 2 http://www.adornedmagazine.com/to-believe-or-not-to-believe-busting-beauty-myths/ http://www.adornedmagazine.com/to-believe-or-not-to-believe-busting-beauty-myths/#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:21:58 +0000 Jenny C. Kim http://adornedmagazine.com/?p=251 By: Jenny C. Kim

We’ve all been victims of beauty myths. Fear no more! Read the below 5 commonly believed myths and bust those lies!

1. “Eating chocolate will make me break out”. Not true. Chocolate bars can’t affect your skin unless you’re rubbing an Oh Henry bar all over your face. Pimples and acne are caused by many factors including stress, pollution, and dead skin cells blocking the pores – not by eating too much chocolate (phew!). So relax. Go ahead and grab that Hershey’s Cookies n’ Cream bar, and chow on down!
2. “Shaving makes my hair grow back thicker”. Although it’s true that waxing can have the opposite effect, (hair can grow back thinner over time, since they’re being pulled out from the roots) shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker. Not on your legs, not on your armpits, not on your… anyway. It may APPEAR that they are growing back thicker because of the hair shafts are cut at an angle.
3. “Expensive skincare products are better than cheap ones”. Nuh uh. It’s true that good ingredients can come with a price. But falling for the million-dollar advertising campaigns put out by cosmetic companies will only leave your wallets much lighter. Only you know what works for your skin – so go see a dermatologist if you’re not sure. Research the “good” and “bad” ingredients in skincare products according to your specific skin type, and always make sure to read the list of ingredients on the back of the packaging. Perhaps only “expensive” products will work for your skin. But more than likely – regular priced products will work just as well, or even better for your skin!
4. “Cold water will shrink my pores”. Nope. The size of your pores are genetically determined, so if you’ve already reached and passed puberty, you’re stuck with them. (Sorry!) Pores can seem like they are enlarged when they are impacted with bacteria and dead skin cells. So, exfoliate and cleanse your skin to chase away unnecessary inhabitants living in your pores.
5. “Split ends can be repaired”. The only way to “repair” those split ends is to cut them off – like a lazy boyfriend. Hair products today are making millions by advertising that they can “repair” damaged split ends – but split ends are like spilled milk. (well, not really – but you know what I mean!) Get a trim, to allow your hair to naturally grow without splitting any further up.