"The Beauty Blogging Effect"

"As a beauty blogger, I definitely have to look at my face a lot. Whether I'm testing products or creating makeup looks, I need to examine myself critically. Of course, there are days when my skin is so bad that I don't even want to look at myself. But by and large, the constant scrutiny of my own face has made me accept what I have been born and blessed with."

To read more of my latest She Said Beauty article, titled The Beauty Blogging Effect, click here.

Many thanks to the lovely beauty bloggers who so kindly lent their words to my article!

Has being a beauty blogger changed your perception of 

yourself in any way?

Making Up Is Hard To Do: A Look & Some Highlights

Practice sesh #2 was with another good friend of mine. I hadn't seen Pat in a while, so I asked if I could do her makeup and I'm glad she said yes!

Like with Missy, I was originally going to do a daytime look; but Pat asked for something smoky instead, so of course, I obliged. She offered to bring some of the eyeshadows she owns, including the original Sleek MakeUP palette, and I agreed as I wanted to have a wider range of shades to choose from. The teal and navy eyeshadows sucked me in, so I ended up using those. I'm so glad I went with blues, because they made her hazel eyes really pop.

I was slightly disappointed that I didn't have to mix any shades for her because I would really like more practice on that, but it definitely made life a bit easier. From this session, the two things I need to work on are concealing dark under eye circles and lining brows. Though, in my defense, we haven't covered brows in class yet, so this was my sad attempt at filling someone else's in. As for concealing, I always find that my initial mixing of shades makes the under eye circles look kind of ashy.

Products Used:

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Foundation - 

Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette - Shade 5 (Professional Corrective Shades)

Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit

MAC Blush - Pinch O'Peach

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - Soft & Gentle

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette - Original 

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow - Black 4

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes  Eyeliner - Matte Black 0L

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara - Very Black

Make Up For Ever Lip Pencil - No. 51

Burberry Lip Mist - Camelia Pink

Hope you guys like this look! I'm really happy with how this turned out and I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable in my own skills. Huzzah!

Makeup Artistry Fundamentals Thoughts...

• I am now six classes into my course and there are only four more classes left. Right now, we're focusing on day looks, (which is why I always mention how I initially wanted to do a day look, but ended up doing an evening one instead :p). Ah well, might as well get a head start on the next course, no? :p
• Last week's class was the best I've had so far, in terms of the actual practical aspect. I paired up with a classmate that had acne, so it took me a lot longer to do her base, especially since I was using Face & Body; but I got there... And it looked really good, actually. I forgot to bring my camera, so you're just gonna have to take my word for it :p. But her skin looked quite flawless and I was incredibly proud of myself. I really liked the finished look, too, and so did my instructor. I've been doubting myself this month, but after seeing the final look, I truly felt like I could do this for a living.
• I definitely want to get different foundations. I mean, Face & Body is great for people with good skin. But for my classmate with acne, I must've applied more than 5 layers on her face. Why bother with that many layers when you can get a more pigmented foundation and just apply 1-2? I think our kit would be better if they added an extra HD foundation and took out a Face & Body.
• I get that this is just the fundamentals course, but I wish I could get more feedback from my instructor. I always try to preempt him by stating all the things I think I could've done better, but he just goes, "no, that's good. Great job." Then he walks away... Haha!
• Washing your brushes every week is kind of a pain. I know I should've been washing it every week for personal use anyway, but I'm lazy, yo!

Happy Monday, lovelies!

Making Up Is Hard To Do: History Of Makeup & Skin Analysis

It's been four weeks since I started classes for Makeup Artistry and I've been having such an amazing time!

Last time, I wrote about my struggle with the Seasonal aspect of Colour Theory, but I think I've gotten the hang of it. I also aced my test! Which isn't saying much, actually, since it was probably the easiest test known to mankind :p. We were supposed to have another test last night, but it was postponed to next week for some reason.


History of Makeup

We had a rather fun assignment on the History of Makeup, actually. We were all to pick an era to write about and I chose the 1950's. As I wrote in my "paper," I absolutely adore the understated glamour that is 1950's makeup. The strong brows, the winged liner, the statement lip; so simple, yet so elegant. I think it's probably my favourite look.

I also love the dresses! I was in a performing arts company that did a Hairspray number a few years ago and I enjoyed twirling my dress around way too much. If I could wear dresses like that every day, I totally would...

History of Makeup was actually quite interesting and I would've happily spend another class learning about it. It was a pleasure to read and hear about trends from decades past and even what lengths women would go to to achieve a certain look. I'm not going to go into detail because that will be the topic of my next article (which will be posted tomorrow *ahem*), but it was definitely fascinating!

But back to the 50's... Can I just say that researching photos for this assignment has been way too much fun? I cannot get over how beautiful the stars of that decade were! Seriously, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn had absolutely perfect faces!

Skin Analysis

We touched briefly on skin analysis during last week's class. It's simple enough, really; at least on paper, it is. I'm sure I will become more knowledgeable with experience, but the thought of using my own products on a client kind of worries me. So many people have reactions to so many ingredients nowadays. I guess I'm just a bit scared of using something that will cause a reaction or cause the makeup to not perform as well as it needs to.

Ahh, well! If there's one thing this series of posts will tell you about me it's that I worry about pretty much anything :p.

I've also successfully colour matched and applied foundation on two of my classmates so far. Our makeup kit only comes with 5 foundations: 3 Face & Body's (definitely not my favourite) and 2 HD Foundations, so I'm constantly having to mix them up to get the right shade. 

The first classmate I did base on is 18 years old and has the skin to prove it. The only issue she has is a few dry patches here and there and dark under eye circles. I can't say I concealed them well enough, but my instructor says I did =/. Did I mention our classroom has rather harsh, fluorescent lighting? Definitely don't like this. Apparently it casts a green hue... That can't be good for applying makeup, can it?

Last night, I was able to apply foundation on another classmate, as well as contour and blush. She also has rather nice skin but the texture was a bit rougher and she has some redness on the cheeks and the forehead. Again, I don't think I was able to conceal the redness as well as I would like (I have a feeling mastering the art of concealing will be a struggle for me). It was rather hard for me to see how products looked on her right away because she would get all flushed, which would change the colours a bit. But once her skin calmed down, it would look better. 

Still, I'm pretty proud of myself so far! I've booked "appointments" with two of my friends this week because I want to get more practice in applying makeup on different skin tones and skin textures. It's times like these I wish I lived close to my fellow Lipstick Bandits... I'd love to have a go at their gorgeous faces!

<Tangent>

Have any of you watched Downton Abbey? I absolutely love this series! After watching (and re-watching) the second season of Sherlock, I needed another British Television fix. 

This show is basically about the Crawley's (an aristocratic family who live in North Yorkshire) and their plethora of servants. The acting is superb and you really find yourself rooting for certain people and wishing for the demise of certain others (*cough* O'Brien and Thomas *cough*). Though I must say, Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Bates and Anna have a special place in my heart :). 

Anyway, you guys simply must watch this show! If not for the acting and plot, do it for the costumes:

Aren't they divine? 

</Tangent>

What's your favourite era for makeup looks?

Making Up Is Hard To Do: Intro's, Colour Theory & Makeup Kits

I remember a few years ago, my brother and my mom both suggested I go to school for makeup artistry. I was a bit taken aback, to be honest; I really never thought that a) it was something I could do well and b) it would be a viable way to make a living...

But then, I started blogging and watching makeup artists on YouTube create and recreate different looks. I was inspired, to say the least. As I continued to blog and exercise my own creativity through the various looks I've done, I gradually fell in love with makeup artistry.

It took me a few years to finally take that step. I was really nervous about taking this road; in fact, I still am! It's always a bit daunting when you deviate from a current path, no? But last Summer, I decided that I was done putting off my future and I was finally going to enrol in some classes.

As I've become more familiar with the beauty industry, I realized that there are so many avenues one could pursue as a makeup artist. I think that's part of why I love it so much. Yes, you're basically painting skin, but there are so many different experiences that go along with it. Each job is different from the next and for an artist, that is priceless! Going into this class, I decided that I really wanted to do editorial (for the creativity) and freelance bridal (for the money), with a smattering of tv and film (for the gorgeous actors experience).

Hopefully, you'll join me on my journey to becoming a makeup artist! :)

Here's how my first two classes went...


Intro to Makeup Artistry Fundamentals

I thought it was really interesting how a lot of my classmates are in non-creative fields. A fair number of them aren't exactly sure what they would like to do with their knowledge of makeup artistry, but I think it's so cool that there's such a huge range of professions represented in the class. It also proves how important it is to have a creative outlet.

In this class, we talked about the different products and tools makeup artists use and the differences between them. Nothing completely new to most of us in the class, but it's always nice to hear what a professional makeup artist has to say about certain products. Also, I really love hearing our instructor's stories about his previous jobs. I think one of the most valuable things I'll take away from this class is the little tidbits that you don't find in a handout or curriculum. All the things my instructor has learned along the way have been filed in my brain and written down on a notebook so I can refer back to it later on. After this class, I became even more excited for the next 9 weeks. I can't wait to actually get started on the practical stuff!


Colour Theory

I knew from the get-go that this was going to be my toughest class. I understand the colour wheel, but there's this part of the lesson that involved seasons. Depending on somebody's hair, skin colour/undertone and basic overall colouring, one can either be a Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn. The confusing part is that while I think of seasons according to makeup trends (Spring = cool, Summer = warm), it actually is contrary to what I would presume (Spring = warm, Summer = cool).

Apparently, changing one's hair colour or tanning oneself up can turn you from one season to another. For example, if you're a Summer and you dye your hair dark brown, you instantly become a Winter. But what if you also tan yourself up? Are you then a Winter or a Spring? What determines your season? BAH! /flails

Then, there's the fact that I apparently cannot tell if someone has olive undertones or not. I don't have that problem with light or dark skins, but skin with medium colouring? Forget it! There is an Asian girl in my class who is darker than me and she's considered a Winter (winter = cool), while I'm considered a Spring (warm). I just don't understand -_-'...

I just hope I don't completely flunk my Colour Theory test.


Now for what you really want to see...

Yes, you're reading that right. Our kits are from Make Up For Ever.

This bag is pretty awesome! Very professional looking.

I love that there's a lot of space for all your products and tools.

Ta-daaaaah! <3

There are two removable compartments that are velcro'd to the bag.

We received 9 brushes. 

A waterproof black liner, 2 lip liners and a Glossy Full Lip Gloss were also part of the kit,

Aren't they glorious? Previous classes didn't get such a nice selection. We got some pretty vibrant colours, whereas past classes only got neutrals. I'm actually missing #75, which is a BRIGHT pink, though I should be getting it in the next class. 

I'm really excited to get my hands at these foundations! The concealer palette is also quite fantabulous.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to actually do makeup on people! I've only ever done makeup on people with similar colouring to me; but there's a wide range of skin shades and undertones in my class, so I'm quite eager to do makeup on them.

That said, what I'm really excited about is seeing where this path will lead me. Two years ago, I never would've thought that I would be going to school for makeup artistry, who knows where my life will be two years from now? Ahh, life! 

Have a good weekend, lovelies!

Call It Beauty Goes Short!

On December 17th last year, I decided I was going to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new...

I have been toying with the idea of going short for some time now, but I wasn't ready for it emotionally. Like some women, I have some sort of attachment to my hair. The problem was, I started to hide behind it. I didn't want to stand out, so I kept it the same for more than 3 years.

I've wanted to get this specific cut for probably a year now, but I kept making excuses for myself. "I'll lose weight first so I'll have a better jawline" was among them. But I didn't want to make excused for myself anymore. You see, going short wasn't just a hairstyle change for me; it also symbolizes a lifestyle change. As my very wise brother told me, "if you can't even take a risk with something as insignificant as your hair, then how do you expect to be able to take risks in your life?" He was right...

I decided that I wanted to make changes, mostly with my mindset and the way I approach life. The haircut was just a physical manifestation of the internal. So, here it is:

I honestly never thought I would say this, but I've been loving having short hair! Not only does it take much less time to style, but I also feel more like myself. My previous hair was just not complimenting my face or my body in any way (although people did love the fact that it was curly/wavy). My new style has more oomph and better conveys my personality.

My stylist, Katie-Rose owns a boutique salon called Lost and Found in the Mount Pleasant area in Vancouver and I absolutely loved the entire experience. Because she's the only stylist (it is currently a one-chair salon), it felt like a more personal experience. She's super fun to talk to, is one of the nicest people I've ever met and did such an amazing job on my hair. If you're looking for a great experience for a reasonable price (she charges $40/cut for women), then definitely go to her and tell her I sent you! :)

(My cut is actually much shorter on the left side, as you can see in this photo)

If you're thinking of going short, here's a few tips:

1. Don't Make This Decision While Emotional - Post breakup? I would say, wait til you're calmer before going short. This is a big decision and you want to feel better after your cut, not more emotional.

2. Commit To A Cut - It's not enough to just decide you want to go short. Google short hairstyles and pick your favourite. Then look at that same photo often for a few months. If you still love it after that time, then go for it!

3. Prepare To Style - Depending on the cut, you will most probably have to do some styling. My current style doesn't take that much, but it's definitely still a change. If you have wavy/curly hair like me and your cut looks better with straight hair, make sure to purchase a good straightening iron and the proper hairstyling products.

4. Be Ready For Constant Trims - I don't know what it is about hair, but it seems to grow faster the shorter it is. I had my haircut 3 weeks ago and I've already gone for a trim! Maintaining your short hair takes some work; if this doesn't sound feasible for you, then it might not be a good idea to go short.

5. Go To A Good Stylist - This is probably a bit redundant, but it's so important! One of the reasons I chose to go with Katie-Rose was because she has a pretty fierce haircut. I figured that she'd "get" what I'm trying to go for better than any other stylist because she's been there.

6. ROCK IT, GIRL! - Let's face it, shorter hairstyles are generally more showstopping than long hairstyles. Once you go short, you better werk that hair! Be bold!

Do any of you have short hair?

A Forced Hiatus on Call It Beauty.

If you follow me on Twitter, then you probably already know my sob story...

For those who aren't aware, my car was broken into this past Wednesday and my laptop was stolen.

I am certainly partly to blame, since I forgot to put my laptop in the trunk; but it's still pretty distressing, as I'm sure you can all imagine. >.<

Having my laptop stolen means I have lost all my personal and blog photos; which then means I have no pictures to use in subsequent blog posts.

At this moment, I have no posts scheduled on the blog and I probably won't be able to start blogging again until I have acquired a new laptop, which probably won't be until the new year. I hope you can all bear with me for the time being!

I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep up with everyone else's blogs, but I will try my best. I will still be keeping up with everyone through Twitter, though. :)

Fellow Lipstick Bandits, I'm so sorry I am unable to join you on this latest venture. Please know that I will be there in spirit... I will sport ___, _____ lipstick with you on Monday in solidarity :p. I love you ladies! ^.^

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic New Year! Fingers crossed I will be back to blogging then :). Until then!

<3, Dani

A Bit Of A Rebuttal For Ms. Westwood (Not That She'll Ever Read This)

"Let me put it this way. It seems to me, that her image is 'ordinary woman.' Therefore, high-street shopper. And I just think she should be an extraordinary woman, wherever she gets her clothes from. It doesn't meant you are an elitist, it means you are an exceptional woman. Why not be exceptional? Your clothes communicate something about you."

- Vivienne Westwood on Kate Middleton

Here's the thing: there are countless exceptional women in the world who can only afford "high-street." Does this somehow diminish them? Last I checked, ordinary and exceptional had nothing to do with clothing. After all, hasn't it been said that it's "not about what you wear, but how you wear it?"

An ordinary woman doesn't become extraordinary because her dress tag says Vivienne Westwood (or insert-any-other-designer-label-here); similarly, an extraordinary woman doesn't become ordinary because she's wearing Topshop/Forever21/Target/Whatever.

Michelle Obama, a woman who is extraordinary in her own right and not just because she's married to the President, is still pretty frickin' exceptional even if she wears pieces from Target or J. Crew.

*Edit*
My slight indignation has nothing to do with Kate Middleton but at the comment directed at her. You can replace the name Kate Middleton with any other and I wouldn't think any differently. My issue is Westwood's apparent belief that ordinary women shop on the high-street ("her image is 'ordinary woman.' Therefore, high-street shopper). Again, I say, some truly extraordinary women can only afford high-street fashion. Where an exceptional woman buys her clothing should and does not diminish her.

Just my two cents... Have something to say about this?

Hit me up in the comments! =)

(Belated) Happy Birthday, Call It Beauty!

(photos from Pizzazzerie)

So, I completely missed Call It Beauty's 1st birthday... FOR SHAME! 

Alas, better late than never, right? 

Looking back through posts, I can't believe how much I've grown as a blogger and I can see it through my photos and my makeup looks. 

Thanks to everyone who's following the blog, especially those who leave such lovely comments! I really appreciate you all taking the time to read/comment and I love hearing from all of you =).

I hope that you all stick with me in the coming years as I grow to be a better beauty blogger. Hope you all have a fantastic rest of the week!

Again, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

What My Mom Has Taught Me About Beauty...

To all of you who are moms and have moms, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! If you're a mom, I hope you get all the pampering you deserve.

This was my mom back in the 70s/80s when she was still a performer by occupation. She was pretty fierce, huh? She still is, actually. By the way, the outfit she's wearing in the first photo is actually just a piece of fabric she fashioned into a jumpsuit of sorts. She's a clever one!

Like most women, my mom has influenced me in the way of beauty and I've learned a lot from her along the way. The most important thing I've learned is that there's always something about you that's beautiful, even if you're not feeling particularly beautiful. I have a few insecure moments... All right, I have more than a few, but I'm sure I'm not the only one. And when I'm busy throwing myself a pity party (I wish I was more this, I wish I looked more like her, et cetera, et cetera. Let me play my tiny violin), she's always quick to point out my "pretty parts." I've learned to see myself a bit differently because of her. So no, I won't ever look like a model, but I know I don't have to be one to be beautiful. This is what my mom has taught me.

What has your mom taught you about beauty?

What Is Beauty?

I just read an insightful and thought-provoking post on Primp and Preen which really got me thinking. And instead of writing an essay on her comments section, I thought I'd share my thoughts here. I'm not going to go into what Rosalyn wrote because I feel like this post will be long enough as it is, but definitely check out her post prior to reading mine to get a bit of background.

1. On boob jobs and cosmetic procedures

So a young woman named Yasmin on the show Beauty and the Beast: The Ugly Face of Prejudice receives a lot of unwanted sexual attention due to her J cup breasts. Due to this, she is considering elective surgery to reduce the size down to an E cup. I also know that Queen Latifah has had her breast size reduced because she was experiencing back problems. In this case, I can understand and would even agree with elective cosmetic surgery.

In some cases (maybe even most), people spend ages researching and considering the consequences of cosmetic surgery, which is how it should be approached. However, in other cases, their intense insecurity drives them to have procedures done to their faces that are just completely unnecessary!

See, my philosophy in life is this: if you're not enough without it, you will never be enough with it. If I can't be happy now then I won't ever be no matter how much weight I lose. I won't be happy even if I have smaller thighs or bigger boobs or a thinner face. The thing is, when you spend so much time focusing on your flaws, the moment you have them "fixed," you may feel good about yourself for a time. But I can guarantee that you will transfer all that focus onto something else and you'll find other things about yourself you'll want to change. The cycle will never end. 

2. On imperfections and the beauty industry

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, truly it is. And only we can decide if we will allow the beauty industry to dictate what beauty should look like. Yes, I'm not perfect. Yes, I have moments where I wish I was more this, less that, etc. But I've always been a bit stubborn and there's an inner rebel in me that likes to say, "I may not have long lashes, I may not have a deep crease in my eyelids, I may not have cheekbones that can cut granite, my nose may be flat, but you can't tell me I'm not beautiful!"

Now, if only I can think like that all the time... 

We will always have insecurities, but we must learn to manage them and not be a slave to our bodies. I don't want to be like that woman I read about on Sephora's blog that wakes up before her man to put her face on so he doesn't see her without makeup.

3. On being a beauty blogger

The reason I love makeup is because I love exercising my creativity, I love the process of researching and hunting for products, and I love testing and playing with them. I blog about it because I wanted an outlet to share my thoughts and because I've always loved writing. 

Again, there are days when I succumb to my insecurities. But has being a beauty blogger made me more aware of my flaws? I'd have to emphatically say, NO. In fact, it has actually changed the way I see myself. My brother always told me I had a skewed sense of self image. I'm the kind of person who won't bother trying something on because I'm convinced it would look awful. But how do you really know until you try, right? 

As a performer, I've been doing my own makeup for many years and was all about making my eyes look bigger. Ask any Asian about what she would like to change about her face and I'm confident the vast majority would want bigger eyes. They even have this special glue that will create a crease on your eyelids. I fell into that myself. But as I continued doing makeup looks for the blog and really looking at myself properly, I realized my eyes aren't actually that small and I don't need to go to such great lengths to create that illusion.

4. On wearing makeup

I wear makeup nearly every time I go out (unless I'm just running errands) and the amount I put on depends on where I'm going. The mall or lunch with friends? Foundation, blush, and eyeliner. Dinner or church? I'll probably add eyeshadow, contour, and mascara. Performance? The whole shebang, baby! This is when I bust out the false lashes and such.

I understand that makeup can boost confidence, I wholeheartedly agree. It's also a matter of wanting to put your best foot forward. I don't know about you, but I don't like looking like a slob when I go out of the house. Even if I'm wearing sweatpants, I still make the rest of me look presentable. 

Also, makeup is FUN! I love the process of figuring out which look I want to do and I love creating new colour combinations. I love being more adventurous with makeup and wearing bolder or brighter colours to suit my mood. Like fashion, it's an extension of myself; a way to express my personality without words.

But are there days when I can't be bothered? Absolutely! Do I feel horribly self conscious when I don't wear makeup? Definitely not! But I wasn't always like this. I think that as we grow older and we become more comfortable in our own skin, we begin to realize that we're more beautiful than we thought we were.

4. Says who?

To end this ramble of a post, I encourage you to do this. When the media or your peers suggests that you need to do this, be this, look like this in order to be beautiful, ask "says who?"

I mean, seriously. Who decides that this is how it's got to be in order to be considered beautiful? The fact is, the beauty industry and the media will always have its say and most of us will fall prey to it. And as I mentioned above, only we can decide if we will believe what they say or decide for ourselves that we're beautiful just the way we are.

What are your thoughts on any of the topics above?

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, LOVELIES! 

Hope you all had an awesome celebration with your friends and/or families! I'm sure this weekend will be spend recuperating; what do you guys do to speed up the process? 

Take an extended beauty sleep? Take a nice, luxurious bath? Let me know in the comments!

Also, Call It Beauty is now on Facebook, click here to check it out; I'd really appreciate a "Like." And if you haven't "followed" me on Twitter, you can do so here. 

Enjoy your weekend!