As you can see I do look quite different in each look but it was just makeup that transformed me, no scalpels were used here!  Not wearing mascara and eyeliner is the main difference.

Troy Surratt-Uma’s makeup artist – wanted to put these plastic surgery rumors to rest so he explained what he did:

Uma and Troy decided to create a makeup look that was “more editorial than it was celebrity.  We did a much stronger brow and a bold lip for a French sort of feel,” Surratt told Refinery 29. “I applied a creamy foundation for all-over glow, and then contoured the hairline and her cheekbones, adding warmth. I applied the lip color and then we just kept the eyes really, really light.  Then, I finished with a shimmering, silky-beige shadow on her lids, and went with no mascara at all…sort of a reaction against all the fake lashes we’ve been seeing on the red carpet.”

So there was a deliberate attempt to try something different and maybe even to spark up some dialogue with that last comment about fake lashes.  Unfortunately for Uma, Troy’s attempt to shake things up just didn’t come together in reality the way that he imagined it and she ended up in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.  That “all-over glow” caught the blinding red carpet flashes in all the wrong ways, and the lack of definition around the eyes takes all of the excitement out of the look and made everyone speculate that Uma had had work done.

I hope my #Umamakeupchallenge demonstrates the power of makeup, and more importantly that just because someone tries to push the boundaries and mix things up with their makeup doesn’t mean we should face-shame them into oblivion and kick the rumour mill into high gear!  Sure, this time the risk didn’t really pay off, but if anything that should put the spotlight on Troy!  Uma is still just as beautiful as ever!

And besides, if an actor DOES get plastic surgery it’s really nobody’s business but their own.  But why bother with face-lifts, Botox and fillers when your friendly neighborhood makeup artist can transform you with a flick of a brush?   And its an added bonus that our work can easily be washed off if you don’t like it!

XO J9

#teamUma

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Its that time of year again and I’m getting super excited about all the fun makeups I will be doing for Halloween.  If its anything like last year I will definitely be pumping out some Mexican Sugar Skulls!

My inbox has been flooded with people looking to have their faces painted like the Day of the Dead…unfortunately I have been booked solid for Halloween since about June!  That is what made me decide to do a simple ‘how-to’ that anyone could follow.

But before I walk you through the steps of an awesome looking sugar skull I wanted to share with you some of the fun makeups I did last year to help inspire you and to get you into the Halloween spirit!

Here is a Devil-complete with horns and pointed ears:

And my adorable niece Ruby that I turned into Draculaura from Monster High:

A Venom bodypaiting that looked pretty damn cool once I was done!

and lastly my Crystal Adorned Mexican Sugar Skull that I will teach you how to recreate!

Now lets get started!

Firstly here are the key products I used:

1. Pure White Chromacake from MAC-I just used water to activate it
2. Blacktrack Fluidline from MAC
3. A water-proof eyeliner, Engraved Powerpoint from MAC
4. Black Eyeliner Pen from Essence
5. Azalea Blush from MAC Pro
6. Funky lashes
7. MAC Brushes #190, #252 & #209
8. Flat-backed Crystals *I just got mine from the craft section at Dollarama
9. Fushia Pigment from MAC
10. Spirit Gum from Ben Nye 

Step 1:

Map out where you want the two eye cut-outs to be.  I just used a nude pencil but you can use white or black too.  You can also map out where you would want your nose cut-outs to be.

Step 2:

Fill your entire face in minus the cut-outs using Pure White Chromacake.  I just used water to activate the product.  If you have more of an oily skin type you can add some invisible set powder on top.

Step 3:

Contour your cheeks, forehead, under your nose and chin using a fun bright colour-I used Azalea Pro Blush from MAC.  Any medium sized contour brush would work fine.

Step 4:

To create the scalloped effect around the eye cut outs I used the #252 brush from MAC that was the exact size I wanted the scallops to be.  I then put a good amount of Blacktrack Fluidline on the flat side of the brush and dragged it towards the center of my eye.  Continue this action until the entire eye cut-out is framed with scallops.

Step 5:

To create a more 3-dimensional look I added Fushia Pigment on top of the black.  I rimmed around my eyes then eventually faded it out before the scalloped edges.

Step 6:

To define the eyes even more I lined the inner rim using Engraved Powerpoint Liner.  And then I used the black pen liner from Essence to rim the outside of my eyes-both top and bottom.

Step 7:

I added some funky lashes on top.  Have fun with this and opt for fuller, more dramatic lashes for a really ‘wow’ effect.

Step 8:

To complete the eyes I strategically placed flat-back crystals (with a dollip of spirit gum on the back) inside each of the scallops.

Step 9.

Now the nose cut outs.  I used Blacktrack again and I traced out 2 triangle shapes on the side of my nose and filled them in so they were solid black.

Step 10:

To define the lips I traced around the outer edge of my lips using the same colour I used to contour my face.

Step 11:

And lastly I placed stiches on my lips using Blacktrack and the #209 brush.  I also used the black to shade in the center of my lips.

And Voila!!!  There you have 11 simple steps to create a sparkly, pretty, yet spooky looking Mexican Sugar Skull!

Happy Halloween!
XO J9

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But, when I was asked to try it out I had a closer look at the TT and all of the buzz out there actually got me curious.

Firstly what is the Tangle Teezer?

On the TT website it is described as “a professional detangling hairbrush that is loved by hairdressers and used in professional hair salons. It’s a super smooth operator that works the minute hair is lathered and rinsed. Glides through wet, vulnerable and colour treated hair with no pulling, tugging or yanking.”

Some key points about the TT:

*innovative teeth configuration for dual action, effortlessly detangling

*memory flex technology, gentle on wet and dry hair

*Unique centralise concave delivers optimum results from roots to ends

As soon as I was asked to review the Tangle Teezer I saw it popping up everywhere.  One of my assistants had it in her hair kit and she raved about it.   I was doing hair and makeup for a video shoot with actress Elisha Cuthbert and her sister Lee-Ann.

Lee-Ann sat down to have her hair done and had a Tangle Teezer in her hand.  I immediately asked her what she thought about it.  She gushed about the TT as if it were her new boyfriend!   She claimed that it’s the only brush that goes through her hair when wet and how she’ll never go back to using a traditional hair brush.  So needless to say I was intrigued and could not wait to try my TT.

I tried the Tangle Teezer on myself and I thought it was…well just OK.  Now I need to back that up with the fact that I rarely brush my hair and my hair usually never tangles or gets in knots.  Knowing all that I felt I wasn’t an ideal person to test the Tangle Teezer.   I needed to take this review to a tougher critic so I thought who better then my adorable niece Ruby!

Ruby is 5 going on 30!  She loves it when her Auntie Nee Nee (me) does her hair but she hates when I have to brush it.  Like most active 5 year olds Ruby’s hair easily tangles and as soon as I try to pull a brush through it she starts to squeal in pain.  Her favorite hairstyle for me to do is 2 braids that join together to one at the back of her head-we have appropriately called this style-‘The RUBY’!  I told her I wanted to do ‘The Ruby’ on her and that I wanted to try out a new brush.  As soon as I pulled out my bubble-gum pink Tangle Teezer her eyes lit up seeing as pink is her favorite colour.  She then sat there as I brushed her hair and I couldn’t believe it!  It never once caught on her hair and Ruby sat there calm as can be.  I was very impressed and of course Ruby loved her final look!

I would have to conclude that The Tangle Teezer brush has a little bit of a learning curve to it and it needs a little trial and error to find what works best for you and your hair.   I would encourage everyone to at least try the Tangle Teezer for themselves-its definitely worth exploring.   The Original Tangle Teezer is available at Nail Polish Canada for the affordable price of $14.99 and it comes in 5 exciting colours.  And Nail Polish Canada offers free shipping within Canada and there are no minimums.   Happy Shopping!

XO J9

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I met my bride Natasha through a referral.  She needed hair and makeup services for 3 days over the August long weekend-Friday would be the Hannah, Saturday the ceremony and Sunday the reception.  I first did her makeup and hair trial and immediately I appreciated Natatsha’s great sense of humour!  I also liked how she went for a more modern and soft look for her hair and makeup which is not exactly the traditional South Asian way.

Here are the key products I used on Natasha:

1. Elenett Hairspray-Loreal  2. Blow Pro-Heat protective spray  3. LA Wand Curling Iron  4. Blacktrack Fluidline-MAC Cosmetics  5. Model 21 lashes  6. Fanfare Lipstick-MAC Cosmetics  7. Pale Pink Blush-Bobbi Brown  8. Hello Flawless Powder-Benefit  9. Hello Flawless Foundation-Benefit

One of the coolest things I saw at this wedding was their videographer from Escape Studios used a drone to capture some AMAZING aerial shots!   You gotta check it out:

So much fun right!

When I work with such an awesome bride + bridal party, I really don’t mine spending my whole long weekend with them

XO J9

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Check out my interview where I talk about juicy celebrity gossip and some of my fav makeup tips:

My Interview

XO J9

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For the actual show I did makeup for rapper Madchild from Swollen Members,

the members of Dragonette

and Marianas Trench.

It was a fun filled show hosted by Canadian Crooner Michael Bublé.  It was great to be there and to witness such a well-produced award show.

The Junos are taking place this Sunday in Winnipeg and although I won’t be backstage this year I will definitely be tuning in.

Haha check out how they spelled my name

XO J9…or I guess I should sign off as G9!

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The packaging for both products is super cute, complete with retro-looking cartoon characters.  Each compact has 8.5g of product and has a handy mirror inside.

Lets first discuss the Mary-Lou.  If I had to pick a favorite between the two it would be this one!

What is it?: The Mary-Lou is a powder highlighter/eye shadow that can be used anywhere on the face to brighten and add a complimentary glow.

Pigmentation:  Great colour pay off.  I also enjoyed that it is a nice champagne colour that will compliment any fair-medium/dark complexions.  I often find some highlighters too peachy or gold for anyone with a fair skintone like myself but the Mary-Lou is a perfect shimmery shade.

Texture:  LOVE the texture!  It almost feels like a cream and applies like butter on the skin.  The actual shimmer particles are super fine so it gives your skin a nice even glow.

Longevity:  Wears really well throughout the day, no fading for at least 8 hours.  Did not crease on my eyelids on top of a primer.

Application:  I like to use any flat sided brushes to apply the Mary-Lou.  I used MACs #192 brush for the cheeks/face and MAC’s #252 brush for the eyes.

And now lets talk about the Betty-Lou…Love me some bronzer especially in the dead of winter!  The only thing I found with this bronzer is it was a little too rich in colour for my pale skin.  I think come the Spring/Summer when I get a little bit of a tan it will be a better match for me.

What is it?: The Betty-Lou is a powder Bronzer/eyeshadow that is silky smooth and will give you a sun-kissed glow anywhere on the face.

Pigmentation: A little goes a long way.  I had to be careful to not overdo it because my face would easily grab the pigment which I would then have to tone down with my face powder.  I would recommend to definitely bring the colour down onto your neck to prevent the tan face/white neck look   It’s a nice warm golden shade that would work best on someone with a medium skin tone.

Texture: Same as the Mary-Lou, its very creamy and glides onto the skin.  The particles are super fine and gives a subtle glow to the skin

Longevity:  Its stays put and remained on my face.  There was little to no fading throughout the day.

Application:  I used more fluffy natural bristle brushes to apply the Betty-Lou Bronzer.  I used MACs #217 for the eyes and MACs #129 for the face.

Overall I think these two products are great individually and they also work great together to create a beautifully sculpted and highlighted face.  These are two keepers that I will definitely be adding to my professional kit.  I would give them both a final score of 4 kiss marks out of 5.

All The Balm products are available online from Obsessed Canada and a nice added bonus is they ship free within Canada!   Both the Betty-Lou and Mary-Lou are sold separately or in the Manizer Duo Kit.

Go and check ‘em out: http://www.obsessedcanada.com/manizer-duo-kit-by-the-balm/

XO J9

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Here is a breakdown of all the makeup icons I selected:

1. Clara Bow-a silent film actress in the 1920s. Her signature look was penciled in eyebrows that were thin and they sat lower than where her real brow would be to create a sad, almost cartoonish look.

2. Lucille Ball-I LOVE LUCY! An actress/comedienne who rose to fame in the 40s and 50s. Everyone loved her perfect blend of class and impeccable comedic timing. She was known for her signature red hair and her typical full face of makeup complete with rounded brows and lips.

3. Marilyn Monroe-Arguably she is still the biggest/most popular sex symbol in the world! A troubled actress who was an on screen siren in the 50s and 60s. Her look always included pointed brows, winged out liner that created sleepy/bedroom eyes, red perfect lips and of course her beauty mark on her left cheek.

4. Twiggy-a waif thin model who gained popularity in the late 60s. Her look was very androgynous and she was known for her big eyes that were accentuated with false lashes and lashes were actually painted on her lower lash line.

5.Gene Simmons-Gene’s wild stage persona ‘The Demon’ made his debut back in 1974 with the glam rock band Kiss. The look included white skin with a black bat-wing design around the eyes which was inspired by the comic book character Black Bolt.

6. Madonna-The Material Girl herself has changed her look throughout the years but she really helped to define makeup, hair and clothing trends in the 80s. From the teased hair, colourful eye makeup and extremely bushy eyebrows-Madonna is without a doubt a huge makeup icon for a decade that a lot of us would like to forget about :/

7. Gwen Stefani-Maybe she wouldnt be most people’s top pick as a makeup icon from the 90s but she’s a favorite of mine and I had to include her into the mix. I loved Gwen’s boyish yet girlie look as the lead singer of the Pop-Ska band No Doubt. To this day she is one of my all time favorite makeup icons and she makes me want to never leave my house without a bright red lip!

8. Lady Gaga-I have had the opportunity to do Lady Gaga’s makeup before so I thought she would be the perfect celebrity to transform into. She is so outside of the box when it comes to her makeup look and she is a great makeup icon for current times.

So needless to say, I had WAY too much fun turning myself into these characters and editing my video entry for Canada’s Best Beauty Talent. I wasnt selected to be on the show but my friend Cait Mizzi was and it was a great to watch her in action. Now time to watch my video-ENJOY!

XO J9

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