Beauty Squared Round-Up for August 23, 2015

Good morning! I hope it's a beautiful day wherever you are.

Here's the Beauty Squared Round-Up for this past week!

• Combination skin - that's your skin type, right? Well, we all have combination skin, so really, that means there is no such thing and we're all being taken in by marketing. Read the argument here.
  
• Do you wash your face in the morning and at night? Here's why you should maybe not wash your face when you wake up.
  
• The external reveals what's internal, so drink these teas for better skin.
   
• Three skin care tips you may not have heard before - exfoliating in the morning, skip moisturizer on your nose, and tint your windows.
  
• Ways petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can help with your beauty and skincare routines.
  
• 14 vegan beauty products, some of which you might already be using/aware of.
  
• Retinol is a form of vitamin A and a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent fine lines and wrinkles, reduce discolouration and help manage eczema and acne. It can be expensive, but there are drugstore versions of retinol that aren't - some of the best.
  
•  Did you know your makeup primer can be used on your lips, in your hair and as a makeup corrector?
  
• Want to see what makeup colours will be in style next spring and summer? The British Beauty Blogger has photos and swatches of MAC's Trend Forecast Palettes for Spring/Summer 2016.
  
• MUA Andrew Sotomeyer shows how to use eyeliner to enhance a variety of different eye shapes - hooded, almond, round, downturned and monolid.
  
• Seemingly inspired by the OCC Lip Tars and the Too Faced Melted lip colours, MAC has its Vamplify collection coming out this week. The British Beauty Blogger has some swatches here, and Temptalia has the preview photos here.
  
• In defense of "tacky" makeup: glitter, bright colours, temporary tattoos.
  
• Transforming the makeup looks you wore when you were younger so that you can wear them now (and not look like you're trying to be a teenager).
  
• Does your skin have yellow undertones? That means you've got cool-toned skin. Here are some makeup colours/products that will suit you.
  
• Permanent makeup: would you ever? Here's what you should know before considering it.
  
• Are you afraid of wearing lip gloss? (I am).
  
• Hangnails: what are they, how do you get them and how do you get rid of them?
  
• Deep side-parts, and I mean DEEP side-parts. They're not for the faint of heart.
  
• And finally, this great article in the NY Times Magazine looks at Kevyn Aucoin's second book, Making Faces, that was, for many (including me) a revelatory inspiration and continues to be to this day. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up - Sunday, April 26, 2015

Hello lovelies! It's time for our weekly round-up. And I feel like I should add a note about the lack of posts lately. Both Beauty Squared ladies have been very busy lately and blogging has proven challenging, but we're aiming to bring you some posts very soon. Stay tuned! In the meantime, we'll keep bringing you this weekly round-up, so you can see what the internet is talking about where it comes to beauty and skincare and haircare. 

Let's go!

• Keratosis Pilaris is a skin condition that's getting a fair bit of buzz lately, mainly because it seems to be something many people have but didn't realize it was an actual condition and could be treated. I actually just realized that Keratosis Pilaris is what I have on my upper arms, after about 20 years of being embarrassed by the red, bumpy skin there. If you've got patches of skin that look a bit like chicken skin, it might be Keratosis Pilaris.
  
• Blackheads are better known than Keratosis Pilaris, but they're no less problematic. If you have them, you'll want to read this article that explains what they are, what causes them and how you get rid of them.
  
• From one beauty issue to another (and another). Dark undereye circles are something most of us deal with, and there really isn't a whole lot than be done about them apart from trying to avoid them if they're caused by dehydration, lack of sleep, etc or concealing them. Here are some tips to minimize their appearance from treatment to concealing.
  
• It's that time of year when many of us are turning into sun worshippers after a long, cold winter but forgetting that even when it's not that hot, it can burn our skin. You really should be wearing sunscreen on any exposed skin during all seasons of the year, but if you're not fastidious like that and occasionally get too much sun, here's how to cover up sunburn without irritating the damaged skin any further.
  
• If you kind of like the look of a bit of sunburn on your face but would rather not burn your flesh to get the effect, here's how to do it with makeup.
  
• Here's a fresh, bright way to wear colourful eyeliner this season.
  
• Red lipstick is typically a winter/fall trend, but you don't have to stop wearing it when the weather warms up. Here's how to wear red lipstick in the spring and summer.
  
• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel talks about how they groom their eyebrows. Lots of tips here!
  
• Have you tried Nudestix? They're a new line of versatile cosmetic pencils with a view on simple, natural looks. Learn about the teenagers behind the line.
  
• Temptalia's review of yet another nude eyeshadow palette, this one containing five very wearable matte shades from Becca.
  
• MUA Lisa Eldridge talks about the beauty tricks she uses while travelling.
  
• We all want to save money. Buzzfeed has a post on doing so with your beauty products.
  
•  Beyonce's MUA Sir John Barnett has been tapped as L'Oreal Paris' new celebrity makeup artist. Here he talks about his new role for L'Oreal, his techniques and shares some secrets.
  
• Time for some hair talk!
• How to fight frizz, no matter your hair type. 
• Sideburns for women? Yup, have a read. 
• Waking up with perfect hair. Yes, it's apparently possible. 
• Are you an unnatural redhead? Do you emphasize your natural red with a bit of colour? You'll want to read this about how to keep your red from fading. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for March 29, 2015

Hello lovelies!

It's Beauty Squared Round-Up time. Happy Sunday!

• If natural makeup is your thing, here's a review of Sappho's natural, organic liquid foundation. 
• Speaking of foundation, here are five favourites.
• Did you know that the Beauty Blender (that bright pink egg-shaped sponge we've all got in our kits) isn't just good for applying foundation and concealer. 
• Have you ever used Bag Balm?
• Blue eyeliner, yes, blue eyeliner inspiration from Toronto Fashion Week. Gorgeous!
• Lighting is so key to looking great. Here's a short rundown on the right and wrong types of lighting for doing your makeup. 
• The 12 Most Annoying Thick Hair Problems (and Fixes!)
• Did you know that washing your hair makes you need to wash it more? Here's how to wash your hair less. 
• Would you cut your hair according to the phases of the moon? There may be some science behind it. 
• It's almost summer, so why not learn how to wear flowers in your hair?
• Here's a backstage runway beauty tip using Maybelline's Baby Lips that might surprise you. 
• The 90s are back in fashion, like it or not, and here's one 90s trend that maybe shouldn't have - visible lipliner. 
• 10 Makeup Tips Every Woman Should Know (According to a Makeup Artist). 
• A Buzzfeed video showing regular people attempting Pinterest nail art. Spoiler: it's not as easy as it looks. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for March 22, 2015

Helllllooooooo! Haaaaaappy Sunday to yoooooou!

It's rrrrrrrrrrround up time! (Do I sound like I'm trying to sell you something? Or like I'm announcing a truck rally?)

Here are your links this week.

• Urban Outfitters has been increasing its beauty selection. Here are some of the best picks from what they offer. It is important to note though, that the President and CEO of Urban Outfitters, which is also the parent company of Anthropologie and Free People brands, among others, may not be the type of person you want to support the businesses of.
  
• Korean beauty. You've heard of it. We've talked about it here. Into the Gloss features a visit to Gangnam's beauty district (think of it like Fifth Avenue in Manhattan or Yorkville in Toronto). (Oh, and I'm sorry I just probably gave you a Gangnam Style earworm).
  
• Eva Mendes has a new makeup line out called Circa and it's not expensive!
  
• Speaking of inexpensive, here's a "no makeup" makeup look put together using just (American) drugstore products.
  
• Did you know that there are skincare ingredients you shouldn't mix? And that there are some that work really well together? Here are some Dos and Don'ts of mixing and matching your skincare products.
  
• There's been a lot of talk in the beauty world about properly cleaning your skin - washing your face twice with two different products, and using cleansing brushes. Here's one woman's routine that gets her a truly clean face every day.
  
• Napoleon Perdis shows how to conceal dark undereye circles - using multiple products.
  
• If you're not a makeup artist or beauty junkie/blogger, makeup brushes might be a bit intimidating - what do they do?, why do I need this one?, how do I use it? This Refinery 29 post might help you.
  
• How frequently do you clean your hair brushes? It's probably not enough. Here's how to.
  
• Looking for an on-trend (ie. 90s-esque) makeup look? This one is easy, can be dramatic or subtle, and uses only one product.
  
• Eyeliner looks for your eye shape (hooded, mono, downturned, round). Fun, and dramatic. Love this!
  
• Speaking of eyeliner for hooded lids, Sam of Pixiwoo did this fantastic tutorial with helpful tips on how to do dramatic liner when your lids don't allow you to draw a straight line. This is a great look for those who have hooded lids, and for those who don't. I highly recommend taking a look. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for November 23, 2014

Hello! There's a whole lotta beauty stuff to share with you this morning and I'm on my second cup of Yorkshire Gold, so let's do this! Hope you enjoy.

• Starting with a jolt, here's MUA Charlotte Tilbury recreates a starry-eyed look worn by Kate Moss. And I mean starry-eyed.
  
• What sort of beauty tips can you find in a 1932 beautician text book?
  
• Do you conceal your dark undereye circles? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe none of us should.
  
• An interview with Frank Toskan, co-founder of MAC Cosmetics. If you love MAC, read this.
  
• A few weeks ago, we featured a Lisa Eldridge video where she did a Downton Abbey-inspired makeup look on Downton Abbey star, Laura Carmichael (she plays Lady Edith). In this video she takes that barely-there makeup look to an evening, red carpet look.
  
• Another video by Lisa Eldridge, this one a fantastic casually-chic evening look that looks great but doesn't look like you tried too hard.
  
• We all wash our hair, but how many of us are doing it correctly? Check out this Allure.com article about how to do it the right way.
  
• MUA Ashlee Glazer shows how to look holiday party ready in just 5 minutes, how to look great with a post-holiday party hangover, and how to look fresh after a long flight home for the holidays.
  
• Face mapping and how your breakouts are (may be) linked to your overall health and how to prevent them.
  
• 12 beauty products that can (almost) change your life.
  
• Here are some weird beauty tricks. Do you have any of your own?
  
• If you wear liquid or gel eye liner, you know how easy it is to mess it up, even if you've been doing it for years. Here's how you can fix it if you do.
  
• It's winter in Canada, so the air is colder (outside) and dryer (both inside and outside), and it's holiday season (food, drink, late nights, stress). Here are some beauty fixes to help you deal with the season. 
• How to fight dry lips, wine-stained teeth and everything else cold weather brings. 
• The end of liquid liner woes and how to achieve dewy skin in the winter.
  
• Alternative spa treatments (vibrating chairs, crystal healing, PEMF (electromagnetic energy)) that actually feel great.
  
• How to apply false lashes, step by step.
  
• How to get a sexy, youthful eyebrow, just with a spoolie brush and some brow gel.
  
• Makeup product names and marketing seem to be getting saucier and saucier. Remember when the name Orgasm (the iconic NARS blush) was risqué? Product names used to be Fire and Ice, and Dusky Heather while now more and more products have names like Snatch, Spunk, Bang, Perversion and Full Frontal.
  
• Four women have launched a class action lawsuit against Sephora after the disastrous 20% off sale a few weeks ago. The lawsuit alleges discrimination, that Sephora purposely blocked customers from making online purchases because they are of Chinese descent. 

Strong Eye Strong Lip FOTD

Typically when doing a makeup look, one feature is played up more than the others. Usually you will play up the eyes OR the lips, keeping the other subtle. Think about a smoky eye look. Usually the lips and cheeks are played down to allow the smoky eye pop. 

http://beautysquared.blogspot.ca/2014/01/navy-smoke-eotd-with-copper-and-rose.html

Same with wearing a bold lip colour, usually the eyes and cheeks are the supporting actors. 

The 1980s were known for excess, and makeup looks were bright, colourful and strong. Wearing a strong eye and strong lip look today can look dated, but you can pull it off if you want to. It just takes some care and attention to make sure that your look is balanced, not competing with itself.

In these photos, I'm wearing very simple makeup, playing up both my eyes and my lips with strong effects. It's a bit goth, but the raspberry sheen of my lip colour help to soften it, and I made sure to keep my eyeliner as crisp and tight to my lashes as possible. 

I am wearing my usual base - concealer and buffed into the areas of my face that need it. A bit of contouring along my jaw and under my cheekbone, groomed brows, and a touch of blush. For my eyes I used a black eye pencil and tightlined my eyes, starting from the inner corner (pulling it down to a tiny point). I smudged it along my top and bottom lashlines with a tiny brush. I wanted to keep it as tight as possible to my lashes. I used a clean brush to clean up any areas where it got too heavy or too thick. I curled my lashes and applied lots of mascara. 

For my lips, I applied MAC Red Dwarf (raspberry) and then dabbed some OCC Tarred Lip Balm on top to darken it. 

That's it! I think that keeping it so simple, it looks softer, undone. The focus is shared between my eyes and lips but it doesn't look heavy, or dated. 

For a softer look, use a brown eyeliner pencil, and a lighter lip colour. 

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up for September 7, 2014

Hello lovelies! We've been delinquent with our Round-Up, missing last week's. That means there's a tonne to share with you this week. Are you ready?

Let's go!

• On Instagram? Here are 10 makeup artists to follow for some gorgeous inspiration.
• L'Oreal is releasing a line of red lipsticks for a range of skin tones, using model Liya Kebede, and actresses Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore and Blake Lively to model them. 
• Just as classic as red lips is winged eyeliner, and here is a look at it throughout history as well as ways to update it. 
• Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel show us what how they do a statement lip with a statement eye. 
• Here is a vintage 1950s glamour makeup tutorial from Jackie for the I Love Makeup YouTube channel. So gorgeous!
• From perfectly groomed to messy and imperfect: Sarah Nicole Prickett's 'No Mistake'.   
• Five quick and easy updos for curly girls. 
• MUA Sonia Roselli controversially chimes in on what she feels is the makeup trend that needs to die (intense contouring and highlighting) and we Beauty Squared gals have to give her a big thumbs up for this. Enough already! 
• Beauty tips from dudes? Yup. 
• How to get rid of dark circles. 
• Are you a bath person? Here's a DIY recipe for fizzy exfoliating bath cubes!
• Here's an easy manicure tip you've probably never heard before. 
• Deborah Lippman's new NYC-inspired nail polish collection is chrome-ilicious!
• Vice Magazine hit BeautyCon recently and came away disturbingly wiser. Yikes, yikes, yikes. 

MAC: A Novel Romance Preview

Fall in lust with A Novel Romance, a colour collection teeming with deep, luscious shades that will have you feeling overwhelmed with desire. Passion mounts, and untamed hues fan the flames of your deepest emotions, as an amorous adventure begins. Seduced by a secret lover, eyes lock, shrouded in the lustful, metallic hues and cool blackened purples of our Eye Shadow quads. Lips, pursed for a lingering kiss, are provocative in seductive plum and burgundy Lipstick. Then, play the temptress in come-hither shades of sweet lavender and soft rose gold. Finally, irresistible forces collide and cheeks flush in shimmering Powder Blush, as you turn the page towards a powerful climax…leaving you utterly breathless.

Smouldering eyes tantalize in highly charged shades of Electric Cool Eye Shadow. Seductive hues of deep cobalt, pearlized black and soft, pale champagne drive your lover wild with a look that is sinfully tempting. Arousing shades of Fluidline Pencil take this passionate quest to the next level, as you set sail for secret shores of pleasure.

An impassioned midnight romance comes alive in six Nail Lacquers that tempt you to take the plunge in intriguing nocturnal hues. Royal blue, charcoal and violet lure you deep into the night as crimson and magenta light your heart aflame with devotion. Like fiction brought life, the surging passions of this after-dark adventure seem almost too good to be true.

Available online August 14, 2014.
Available in-store August 21, 2014.

A Novel Romance Eyeshadow Quad

My Fantasy pale neutral olive (veluxe pearl)
Fall in Lust mid-tone cool grey mauve ( frost)
Dance in the Dark deep blackened brown (matte)
Rising Passions greenish charcoal with gold pearl (velvet) 
$48 CND/$40 US 

A Passionate Quest Eyeshadow Quad
The Wrong Man light cool dusty pink (satin)
Serenade mid-tone orchid pink with blue duochrome pearl (veluxe pearl) 
Brazenly rich eggplant (veluxe pearl)
Stay Sultry deep violet navy (satin)
$48 CND/$40 US

An Amorous Adventure Eyeshadow Quad
Sable gold plum with bronze pearl ( frost)
Sex & The Oyster mid-tone seafoam green (veluxe pearl)
Brawn mid-tone plum brown (satin)
Black Tied black with silver sparkle (velvet)
SRP $40.00 US/$48.00 CAD 

213 Fluff Brush
$28.50 CND/$24 US

224 Tapered Blending Brush
$38.50 CND/$32 US

Lipglass
Bared for You soft rose gold

$18 CDN/$15 US

Lipglass

Reckless Desire sheer pearlescent lavender grey 

$18 CDN/$15 US

Lipglass

Pure Fiction mid-tone violet pink

$18 CDN/$15 US

Lipglass

Talk Sexy dark purple

$18 CDN/$15 US

Lipglass

Wanting More washed-out lavender

$18 CDN/$15 US

Lipstick

A Novel Romance light cool dusty pink (cremesheen)

$19 CND/$16 US

Lipstick

Hearts Aflame mid-tone brick red (matte)

$19 CND/$16 US

Lipstick

Lingering Kiss deep plum red (matte)

$19 CND/$16 US

Lipstick

Lingering Kiss deep plum red (matte)

$19 CND/$16 US

Lipstick
Yield to Love mid-tone rose (cremesheen) Online Exclusive
$19 CND/$16 US

Lipstick

Good Kisser mid-tone fuchsia (matte)

$19 CND/$16 US

Mascara
Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash black
$26 CAD/$22 US

Powder Blush

Animal Instincts shimmering plum (frost)
$26 CND /$22 US

Powder Blush

Fun Ending soft neutral peach (satin) 

$26 CND /$22 US

242 Shader Brush
$30 CND/$25 US 

Electric Cool Eyeshadow
Blacklit black with multidimensional pearl $25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow
Coil copper bronze $25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Gilded Thrill gold ( frost)

$25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Highly Charged rich purple with pink pearl 

$25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Love Power soft shimmering rose 

$25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Pure Flash! pale champagne

$25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Superwatt light shimmering taupe

$25 CND/$21 US

Electric Cool Eyeshadow

Switch to Blue rich cobalt

$25 CND/$21 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Atomic Ore gold

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Black Brilliance black

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Black Brilliance black

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Deep Blue Sea deep ocean blue 

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Deep Blue Sea deep ocean blue 

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Metropolis deep metal gray 

$19 CND/$16 US

Fluidline Eye Pencil

Water Willow deep khaki green 

$19 CND/$16 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Before Dawn green grey
$14 CND/$12 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Midnight Ocean dark royal blue 

$14 CND/$12 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Midnight Sky deep charcoal 

$14 CND/$12 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Midnight Storm deep magenta 

$14 CND/$12 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Midnight Strata dark violet 

$14 CND/$12 US

Studio Nail Lacquer

Sunset Sky mid-tone crimson 

$14 CND/$12 US