MAC Interviews

 . . . SO exciting . . . 

Simple Face Tips

smile pretty.
lately, i've been asked by a few girls on how to get flawless skin without breaking the bank. let me just say this, taking good care of your skin will cost you money, but it doesn't have to be hundreds to get the results you're looking for! i have fairly sensitive skin that is extremely prone to redness and breakouts. i burn easy, scar easy and will most likely wrinkle east, however, i do what i can to prevent. here are some simple tips to help maintain flawless skin and beat breakouts if you are a sufferer.


no 1. cheaper skin care lines
low-price point 
*Aveeno ( BEST for sensitive skin )
*Dove ( GOOD for sensitive skin / normal skin )


mid-price point
*NeoStrata ( BEST for anti-wrinkle, blemishes, mild-moderate acne )
*Khiels ( GREAT for anti-aging, acne )
*Clinique ( GREAT for sensitive skin, acne / pigmentation, and mens skin care )
*Aveda ( GOOD for all skin types )


high-price point
*Environ ( BEST for anti-aging, mild-severe acne, vitamin focused )
*La Prairie ( EXPENSIVE! BEST for anti-wrinkle )
*Estee Lauder (GREAT for all skin types, been around forever )


no. 2 vitamins & herbs
not all women want to be on "the pill" to prevent breakouts. although some pills like Ortho-Tricyclen do treat mild-moderate acne, you're still taking hormones which some would argue isn't necessarily a good thing. i try to take holistic roots to most problems and with that being said, here are some natural vitamins & herbs that help your body stay balanced hormonally so that you consistently have clear skin.


*Vitamin A ( acne killer, Acutane, is packed full of Vitamin A )
*Primrose ( i take this daily to prevent PMDD, it's a fatty acid that replaces the fatty acids you loose during your cycle, therefore keeping you as balanced as you can be )
*Hair, Skin & Nail Vitamin ( a vitamin mix including Vitamin B12 & Vitamin A )
*Vitamin C ( always good to take )


no. 3 a good cleanser
a good facial cleanser is extremely important! it is the first step of your face regime. here are some of my favourite cleansers . . .


*NeoStrata Oil-Free Gel Cleanser ( acne prone skin )
*Aveda Purifying Gel Cleanser ( acne prone skin, great for taking makeup off )
*Clinique Liquid Facial Soap ( all skin types )


no. 4 exfoliate 
you must exfoliate once a week. at least! do it in the shower if it's easiest to remember. you don't have to go all fancy with exfoliants . . . many will do the trick. the importance is that you are stripping off any bacteria, dead skins cells & excess oil that will block your pores.


*Laura Mercier Face Polish ( my favourite )


for more tips on beauty maintenance check out My Beauty Secrets post.


hope this helps you take the best care of YOU!

Beauty Inspiration

legends in looking good.

for those of you who don't know, i have an undeniable fascination with the 1940's, 50's and 60's. the woman below are some of the most recognizable faces in the history of film and i wanted to highlight how naturally beautiful they really were. i've said it before and i'm sure i'll say it again . . . these women radiate class. they carried themselves well, left plenty to the imagination and always maintained a simple, yet flawless face.

Grace Kelly

Bridget Bardot

Audrey Hepburn

Liz Taylor

Natalie Wood

Eartha Kitt

Mini Makeup Portfolio

juxt beauty.


guess what is just around the corner? HALLOWEEN! i will always love Halloween because it's a special time of year to get crazy with makeup. unfortunately, i don't have have a fancy makeup portfolio (yet) so i've decided to post some of my makeup moments on here. these are not professional photos and i wish i had some so everyone could see more detail. these are all i have to work with right now! if anyone is looking for help with Halloween makeup (i know some of you take this as seriously as i do!) in the Toronto area, then shoot me an email or a comment. i'm still debating about what i'll be for Halloween this year and will post some of my ideas shortly.

 last year's costume : Lady Gaga

 very fun makeup look!

i also did my friend Mallory's makeup (the fairy!) and helped Adam become a "B-Boy" by outlining his goatee ( click to enlarge )

my favourite model : Ashley aka Ish as Audrey Hepburn

me as Marilyn Monroe Halloween 2006

Ashley as a "Slutty Witch" ( i did both our makeup )

last year's Christmas party : Megan Fox inspired click here to see ( click to enlarge )

Ashley out on the town : a natural smokey-eye and nude lips

Christmas celebrations : wearing my plum lipstick that was inspired by Megan Fox

Valentine's Day look : creamy pale lips with bronze and browns on the eyes

Ashley's birthday : candy pink lips and light eyes to bring out the blue : hair also done by me

peachy-keen : light, irredecent eyes and pale lips, peach cheeks and lots of mascara

rocker : Ashley's smokey eye and my fuchsia lips

 my new year's eve look : dark eyes, defined brows and light lips

Ashley with light purple smokey eyes with a peachy-pink center! my favourite pale lips with rosy cheeks

for makeup inquiries please email me at fussyjussyblog@gmail.com

M·A·C Cosmetics: Rockin' Summer Beauty

Go nuts with colour!

Summer has arrived and with the fun-in-the-sun attitude comes along tons of fun makeup looks! I am a huge MAC Cosmetics fan and I've decided to highlight a few of their summer collections... that I am in LOVE with. This year, it's obvious everyone is going wild with the 80s look and feel (with a modern spin of course), everything is studded, bedazzled, leathered, ripped, washed, faded, tight, and almost gives a little punch to your senses when you look at it. Well, with makeup its all about bright colors and lots of glow. Most people tend to get into a comfort zone when it comes to applying makeup - same colours, same routine, same look - well throw that idea out the car window while driving really fast because it's time to brighten things up. 

Embrace the colours and freedoms of this year's fashions and let your wild side out. It will feel good... I promise. If you've got a party to attend or just a night on the town, take full advantage of going the extra mile on your face. It's like painting a beautiful picture that you get to show everyone... all night! Here are some invigorating colour palettes to keep your eye on and some of my personal favs...

( spring 2010 collection : check it out here )

( lipstick: made to order $14; eye pencil: NC15 NW20 $14.50 )

( paint pot: coral crepe $16.50 )

( blush: instant chic $18.50 )

( collection : prep for color, check it out here )

( lipgloss: prep for color $14 *hot fuchsia, so fun!* )

( collection : art supplies, check it out here )

( pro longwear lipstain marker: dirty red coral $16; greaspaint stick $17.50 )

MAC always rocks the boat but this season is just brilliant. I suggest 

you run to your closest store to check it out in person. Enjoy exploring all the different sides of your personality. The whole point to makeup is to be creative and use your imagination - so get to work! 

The Beauty Bus Foundation

Giving the gift of beauty.

Oh how beauty makes us feel alive! I love how there are so many forms of beauty and how subjective the term is. Well, let me tell you... there is something beautiful about a group of people who have made a commitment to help others feel beautiful when they no longer have the strength. I feel privileged and honored to introduce to you a new non-profit organization called The Beauty Bus - a beautiful organization (lets see how many times I can use the word beautiful in this post) that caters to the terminally or chronically ill and their caregivers by providing them with beauty and grooming services, free of charge! We're talkin, manicure, pedicures, hair, makeup, facials... the works! What a wonderful way to give quality care and appreciation to those who need it most - and to remind them that they will always be beautiful.

The Beauty Bus is hosting their first ever Beauty Drive that will be held in beautiful Los Angeles on April 25th at The Mark for Events and starts at 11:30am. Tickets are a little on the pricey side ($125) however, $75 is tax deductible and I guarantee that you'll have a beautiful time full of beauty products, beauty professionals, a silent auction and a beautiful brunch. I mean really? Who doesn't LOVE brunch? 

I am thrilled to have learned of this organization and would like to get involved anyway I can. You'll most likely see me at the drive, if you do decide to dish out some dough for a fantastic cause (and live in the LA area of course) and if not, you can definitely learn about the various ways to volunteer through their website. Oh, and another big help would be to spread the word! Please retweet me if you're on Twitter or post me to your Facebook profile. It would be much appreciated! Sending love... 

My beauty secrets...

Confidence is beauty.

Since not every woman was raised by a  beauty-loving mother, I wanted to share some of my beauty secrets so that you too can age gracefully and look radiant doing it. My mom has worked in cosmetics and various salons/spas for most of my life so I have been taught from a very young age to take good care of my skin. This means start using anti-wrinkle cream as soon as possible ladies! Most women wait until their 30's and 40's to start battling the aging process, however, the earlier the better to prevent fine lines from appearing in the first place.

Secret #1: Skincare Line 

A good skin care line might cost more than your average drugstore brands, but if it's important to you, it's well worth it! Of all the lines of skincare my mom has used, she now swears by a beautiful line called Environ. It is one of the only lines that specializes in Vitamin A. You start at the lowest level of Vitamin A and work your way to it's purest form. It is the only line I've used and seen dramatic results in my skin. My mother agrees! We use the "Original" line and you will start of with the Debut day/night cream. I also recommend the C-Boost which is an added boost of Vitamin C that goes under your moisturizer, usually just at night. Then of course, the very important Eye Gel! This a must to battle those crows feet and any other eye wrinkles.You can purchase discounted Environ here.

Secret #2: AFA Gel 

I use a great AFA Gel (which are potent antioxidants) that I apply every night that slowly exfoliates and draws out bacteria from the skin leaving you with a clear complexion and smaller pores. It is an amino acid skin care program that uses the natural moisture system of the skin as its primary base. The specific serum I use comes in Mild, Plus, and Max depending on your skin type - I use the Mild because I have such sensitive skin. It was recommended to me by my trusted esthetician because I scar easily whenever I have a break-out. This product is the most expensive I've ever gave in to, but I would only need to purchase it every 6-9 months. So it's worth it to me. It was about $85 - and again, I've seen a HUGE difference in my complexion. Smooth as a baby's bum.

Secret #3: Regular Facials

I try my best to get regular facials, usually once every 3 months is good. Sometimes I do stretch it to once every 6 months. Facials are a fantastic way to deep cleanse the skin, pamper yourself, and do extractions. You don't need to spend tons of money or go to a fancy spa to get a good treatment. A basic facial will do as long as the therapist takes their time and is concerned about the condition of your skin. You may break out in the days following your facial, but just wait until the week after! Your skin will glow and be clear as a window is after being cleaned with Windex.

Secret #4: Good Foundation 

My top 3 foundation products to give yourself a glowing, natural and flawless look are the following...

Smashbox Foundation Primer ( full size: $36 / travel size: $17 )

Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation ( one size: $40 ) 

OR 

 Bare Minerals Foundation Powder ( one size: $25 )

Laura Mercier Mineral Illuminating Powder *SECRET WEAPON* ( one size: $35 )

You would apply a moisturizer, the foundation primer, a foundation (either liquid or a mineral powder) than the illuminating powder which gives you that added glow.

<3

These are my top beauty secrets! Let me know if you have any questions... I hope my secrets can help you look and feel your best - naturally!

Girl, put yo face on...

I <3 Makeup 4Ever.

As Halloween is only a few days away I wanted to give you a recommendation for one of my favorite makeup lines. MAKEUP FOR EVER is the name. You can get it at Sephora stores or online at www.sephora.com. It is excellent quality at a very reasonable price point and they have a lot of fun products to assist you for more fun looks. These are the products I used to create my GaGa look...












HD Invisible Cover Foundation $40 (HIGHLY RECOMMEND: leaves a luminescent finish, recommended by Kandee Johnson in recreating a Megan Fox look)











Pure Pigments $19 (These are highly concentraed pigments that create a bright, lasing color. I used the colors Fushia & Black to accomplish the eyes & black detail)













False Lashes $15 (They have over 30 different lashes ranging from the simplest to the most outrageous! I used number 109 Janet. The ones above are 113 Betsy. Best lashes I've ever used and the glue that comes with it is amazing - stayed on all night)














Two Faced Shadow Insurance $17 (This is not MAKEUP FOR EVER it is by Two Faced Cosmetics and I was told it was the best shadow primer in all of Sephora. I used this on my lids and underneath the black stripes on my face...fantastic!)

Those are the key ingredients to my GaGa makeup look! For fun looks or everyday wear, MAKEUP FOR EVER is a great line - they are from Paris and have a store in New York and Montreal, those are the closest cities to LA, and Toronto. Hopefully they will spread throughout both countries soon! You can browse their official site but unfortunately cannot online shop...click here.

Enjoy!

Who wants KANDEE...?

Make-up. The best kind of art.

Halloween is creeping up on us and if you're one to go all out, I have a great recommendation for some fun and different looks for this year. I came across a very talented make-up artist on YouTube and have been obsessed with watching her videos while she does a Halloween series. Her name is Kandee Johnson (professional make-up artist from LA) she has a fun blog, and a YouTube channel. She is incredibly thorough with her tutorials, has lots of great suggestions, and is quite cost savvy. She also sings and dances. She's positive, puts tons of time and love into her work - for free, and is funny as hell. Check out her YouTube channel here and of course her blog, here. I am having a difficult time deciding which look I would like to do. I love getting dressed up, especially in unusual ways! I'm thinking Queen of Hearts, Tinkerbell, maybe a Pin Up?! She's also going to be doing a Betty Boop one which would be amazing. Fun stuff!!!

Does anyone have an interesting or unique ideas for Halloween this year? I can't believe how expensive costumes can get. Be frugal folks - this is no time to be spending $80-$100 on witchcraft. For make-up stores, try Sephora, (carries almost every great make-up brand known to man) MAC, Naimies (online only) and of course there are the cheap drugstore brands. Have fun using your imagination everyone! Looking forward to seeing some of your creations (VIA Facebook...obviously).

*Photo Credit: Kandee Johnson