Product review-CrownBrushes.ca

I recently went on crownbrush.ca and ordered a early christmas present to myself :D For those of you who are unfamiliar crown brushes are a brand of makeup brushes. You wouldn't believe the difference of having good brushes in your kit will do to your makeup looks, you get better product placement and blending with well crafted brushes that are specifically designed for what we do :D

All crown brushes are 100% animal cruelty free! absolutely no animals were harmed or destroyed for the purpose of making their fabulous brushes. They have a wide variety of different brushes and brush sets that are definitely worth checking out. Even for personal use these brushes are amazing!!! I wish I had ordered two sets so I had a set for personal use but these were specifically bought for my kit, and have only been used personally for the purpose of this review.

The set I bought are on sale for a limited time only! I got the 15 piece Enkore makeup brush set, Original value: 235.00$ currently on sale for 59.99$ As soon as I saw this I rushed for my visa and had to get these brushes, and when they finally arrived I was so excited like a little girl on christmas eve! they were worth every cent, the feel of these brushes is amazing!!! its almost a shame to use them their so soft and beautifully constructed. When working on clients having a brush that will do what you need with using a light hand makes all the difference for the client. I'm always getting complimented that my makeup application "feels so good like a face massage"(Iv actually had clients fall asleep on me I had them so relaxed) sounds a little ridiculous I know but when working with clients this can be a good thing! you want them to enjoy their experience and be as comfortable as possible. Even if the difference is just the quality of your brushes, you want them to call you again in the future.

I definitely recommend this set for anyone just building their makeup brush collection, It comes with 15 brushes that will cover all applications from the face to the eyes, I honestly think these 15 brushes are all you would need to create any look! for both personal use, and professionally. Although it doesn't come with a liquid liner brush which is a quick add.


What the 15 piece encore makeup brush kit comes with......
C309: Jumbo chisel powder face brush
C403: Chisel face brush
C406: Large Duo face brush
C404: Small Duo face brush
Foundation brush: theres no number on it :( but its extremely soft!
C405: Contour face brush
C407: Jumbo shadow brush
C415: Dlx Sable shader brush
C417: Chubby shadow brush
C433: Pro blending fluff eyeshadow brush
C431: Precision domed eyeshadow brush
C200: Deluxe crease brush
C408: Chisel shader eyeshadow brush
C409: Angel eyeshadow brush




If your looking for an upgrade on your regular brushes I would definitely check out crown brushes.ca, they have many different makeup brush kits you can purchase and give them a try.. their brushes are amazing!





note: These are not payed reviews, I only review about products I truly like and I feel are worth buying. Like most of you Ive tried hundreds of different products and have been frustrated searching ,trial and error, for the best ones, I'm just trying to solve the endless search for many women out there :D



XOXOXOXO


Relish

bad day?? time to get SILLY !!!

We've all had those days where nothing seems to go right. You rip your favourite shirt, your car breaks down in the middle of rush hour, you get into a fight with your significant other, you spill coffee all down your outfit on the way to work, you forget your wallet at home and your favourite expensive powder breaks inside your purse, all in a day! Days where you feel like everything and everyone is against you and you just wanna scream at the top of your lungs, or break down and cry. Its inevitable that were all going to have these types of days, its how you overcome them that will make all the difference. In times like these I like to take a deep breath and simply say FU bad day! you are not bringing me down, I'm going to end this day with a smile :)(I actually say this out loud to myself)... and get silly!!! laughter is truly the best medicine which is why I'm always laughing and smiling. I choose to not let these bad days and negativity get the best of me. remember to take in the small silly things in life and don't take life or yourself to seriously or you'll drive yourself crazy!! and if that doesn't work come stop by my blog and get silly with me :D

....heres what my "bad day" consisted of...

Is that A smile I see!!!!! what started off as a bad day turned into this silly little party for two with my older cousin, and other half..Jen. We've been like this since we were kids you put us two together and you would think we were smoking something funny. Put myself, Jen and my other cousin Michelle together and you'll probably have to evacuate the premises due to a code red of ridiculousness and overwhelming laugher...no drugs or alcohol needed here...this really is just naturally how we are.  Can you really believe I'm 21 and Jen is 25 with two kids??....yeah neither can we....this is what happens after we put her little ones down for a nap then the party gets started!! After bundles of photos and crazy poses I woke up her oldest, 3 year old daughter who gave me the weirdest confused "what the what!" look and then started to laugh..you know your cool when your 3 year old niece is more mature then you are ;)

Turn those frowns upside down and enjoy the bad days!

xoxox

Relish

Oprah, Designers, jewellery...what a weekend!

hey everyone :D.....what did all of you get up to this weekend?? go to a party? see a movie?? spend time with the important people in your life???....well this is what I got up to this weekend..

Friday: Oprah!! Did full makeup for a beautiful Bride and her wedding party..but it was something much more then that.. this beautiful bride will be featured on Oprah's network january 22. She has been through so much and our local community thoughtfully gave her and her husband the day of her dreams, a day they've been trying to plan for years but given certain circumstances was out of their reach.. I was very fortunate enough to be a part of this beautiful heart touching day for her and her family and volunteered my services so that her beauty radiated on her special day. Tune into Oprah's network channel for this beautiful brides story and happy ever after ending, and more touching stories about the local community of Aldergrove B.C, Canada.

Saturday: Bling Bling? Instead of going out for a night on the town I decided to stay in and let my creativity have a ball....heres what I created...some of my friends may just find these under their tree's ;)

what started out as this 

Became this...  

After power-crafting for a couple hours I finally ended the night, still more treasure's in the works..keep in touch for the tutorials on how to create the above creations.

(If interested in purchasing any of these fantastic pieces made with love..please feel free to contact me)

Sunday: A Special Designer... Today I had the privilege with working with a young, local Vancouver designer doing hair and makeup for his latest photo shoot. Tommy is such a talented self taught designer with such creativity and such a positive spirit and an impeccable eye for detail. Instantly meeting I felt we were going to make beautiful images together. Tommy likes to volunteer his time at a local shelter teaching beautiful strong women to make jewellery, I admire this about him so much and I became even more excited to be a part of this project.  Bringing out self esteem, confidence, and a women's natural beauty is the best part of what I do, and I'm always very excited to be a part of that moment when a women finally see's and realizes that she's beautiful! We met at a local shelter in downtown Vancouver, todays models were two beautiful young women who have been living at the shelter. Not your typical agency hired models, these women were beautifully real, with no previous modelling experience. Neither of them have never had their makeup done before so I was very excited to take them along on this beautiful journey. Tommy wanted a very specific look. He wanted the ethnicity of their skin to shine through, with a very neutral eye and bold black liner. Hair was a simple chic ponytail. I had a lot of fun working with the team today and I look very forward to the upcoming fashion show of which I will be participating backstage as a hair stylist keep in touch :)..in the meantime here are a couple behind the scenes of the day...

Please check out his amazing work....

Yasuhiro Tomita

Vancouver, B.C

Designer at Rukus

RUKUS new age / new edge:  http://www.rukus.jp/ 

Group Exhibits KIRA KIRA :  http://www.kira-tokyo.com/

Special note: for all you local vancouverites (I think thats what were called) 

All proceeds to the show go to vancouver homeless shelters. come see some local 

talent and support your community.

DIY- not your average French toast

I know I know.. French toast has nothing to do with makeup. However cooking is also a great opportunity to get creative and try new things, wether its adding a different spice to a dish or changing it completely the kitchen is a great place to get creative too!!! I love cooking!!! Ive been cooking since I was just a wee little one....my mom never did much cooking, so at a young age I taught myself how to cook so I wouldn't have to eat the Macdonalds she usually brought home for dinner. I love cooking as opposed to eating out. For one its way more wallet friendly and I love how I know what is going into my food and that I can control the flavours.
Today's kitchen adventure started as another ordinary saturday morning, I decided I was in the mood for some French Toast for breakfast and as I proceeded to the kitchen to whip up my french toast I realized I WAS OUT OF MILK!! AHHH my disappointment slowly started to sink in but the creative lightbulb in my head went off in my head and as I opened my fridge door I grabbed Vanilla greek yogurt and one egg, my journey started there. Your typical French Toast recipe is usually egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Since I didn't have milk or vanilla or cinnamon I had to get crafty heres what I came up with and let me tell you it is fantastically delicious!!!

• One egg
• Two or three spoonfuls of Greek Vanilla Yogurt..im sure you can use regular yogurt but I had greek style in my fridge.
• A couple teaspoons of Baileys or Carolines liquor (a creamy liquor typically added to coffee)
• Thick texas style toast, any toast would work though.

Mix all ingredients together into a dish or bowl until it is a creamy consistency, dip your bread into the mixture on both sides and place onto a preheated buttered skillet and cook until golden on both sides. Taadaa deliciousness awaits you just add butter and syrup and your good to go. Or get creative and create your own condiment to go on top.

So next time your in the kitchen try adding a little something to your favourite dish and get creative

proudly enjoying my delicious creation

other times I'v gotten creative with food.....

Brushetta, basil, and goat cheese on crackers, not totally original but they sure are delicious little biscuits ;)

Stuffed Brushetta zucchini with breaded parmesan crusted zucchini sticks

Ice cream with coffee liquor, peaches, chopped nuts and fresh mint leaves.

...the best recipes I find are the ones where I just "wing" it and have no recipe to follow. but start off slow get creative and when it comes to cooking sometimes a few simple changes are best. 

what are some of your creative recipes ???

Happy times in the kitchen 

xoxoxo

Relish

Product review-Benefit Pore Professional

I have recently stumbled accross Benefits Pore professional mainly because I love trying out new products. This product can be used before applying your foundation, like a primer. Or can also be used over your foundation to help soften and "shrink" your pores (as the women at the cosmetic counter ensured) When I applied this to my face the first thing I instantly thought was "Wow this has such a great texture," lol let me explain....Iam so picky when it comes to putting lotions or creams on my face...I hate anything heavy, greasy, oily or "suffocating" to my skin. I didn't think this at all with this product! it went on so smooth and creamy yet light, translucent and clean, I was very impressed.

As for the Pore "shrinking," well..despite all the face cleansing ads out on t.v that claim their products will "shrink your pores." The fact is that pores are incapable of changing size...they will always stay the same size and will not physically "shrink." Your pores can open, close and appear to be minimized by using products but will not shrink. This being said lets give a big hand of applause and top our hats off to BENEFIT. for being up front open and honest saying right on the packaging to minimize the appearance of pores. This product although obviously did not magically "shrink" my pores. However It definitely softened them making them appear soft and not as noticeable, with a almost airbrush look and feel. I have only used this personally on myself but will be trying it out with my future bridal clients.

 Using a primer under your foundation is a very important step to ensure that the skin is well prepped for foundation. It allows the foundation to last longer without slipping, protects the skin from damaging free radicals, fills in any fine lines or wrinkles for a smoother application, and with some primers that contain silicone will absorb oils throughout the day help keeping your makeup fresh. Applying your day moisturizer before foundation will also act as a primer for your skin.

If your in the market for a new primer and want to try something new like me, I would definitely recommend Benefits Pore Professional...... what are some of your recommended primers???

RELISH RANDOM TIPS: when washing your face. cleanse using warm water to open the pores and clean out all the impurities. after all the cleanser is rinsed turn the water to super cold and splash the cold water on your face, this closes the pores keeping them squeaky clean ;)

The same rules applies with your hair. If you have really hot showers...like me... the cuticles (outer layer of your hair) open allowing the shampoo to cleanse the hair (however if you have coloured hair this may also cause your hair colour to fade quickly) When conditioning rinse the conditioner from the scalp only and let the conditioner run to the ends(where its mostly needed), turn the water to cold and rinse with cold water. This will close the cuticles with the conditioner in the ends, resulting in smoother hair.



Update: I have since been using this product on myself as well as my clients and I still love it!! This is my go to primer for all my brides, grads, runway models ect.. I have gone through many tubes of this stuff and my clients all love it! They always mention how smooth and silky there skin feels, after I've applied this primer. I have even used it on men for HD shots. This product gives the skin such a smooth silk like texture, I absolutely love it!! it makes applying and blending foundation is effortless. Thank you benefit as always you rocked my socks off!!!

how have your experience's been...did you fall in love like I did??

xoxoxo.....Relish

creative therapy?

I was going through pictures on my old computer and I found these!!! These are years old!! taken of me late at night, on the nights that I couldn't sleep (I don't sleep much) I find it's really late at night when my brain does its best thinking and my brain just keeps thinking and my wheels keep turning and I can't sleep! so why not bust out the makeup and do whatever!  I wasn't kidding when I said I'm a makeup addict ;) ...enjoy and get inspired!...keep in touch I'll be doing more creative looks in the very near future.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post, I hope this encourages you to some creative therapy....

xoxoxo

Relish

MAC-Advice from a Pro

Hey everyone :D I just wanted to share with you what I had the pleasure of attending this past sunday. When you are a MAC cosmetics Pro member you are qualified to take various masterclasses held on by MAC taught by various senior MAC artist who are well known and respected makeup artist that have worked in all aspects in the industry and have traveled the world working on TV, runway, Celebrities and everything in between.


The class I attended was "Makeup is art," teaching the concept of an "organic" way of doing makeup. and demonstrating that makeup doesn't have to be all beauty and glam but can be used as an art form. I was quite pleased to attend this class because thats exactly what makeup has been to me for years. Not just a way to bring out a women's beauty and confidence but can go beyond that. With makeup their are no rules, no boundaries, No directions or guidelines. It truly can become an art form,with the human body as the canvass. I always encourage to get creative because at the end of the day you can always wash it off.

John Stapelton was the MAC senior artist that took us on an amazing journey through this class. Demonstrating his organic approach to makeup, and sharing with us all this tips, tricks, inspirations and his insights and stories through this competitive industry.
John Stapelton has been with MAC for 16 years and has traveled the world working with well known names in all aspects of the industry. I have to say I LOVED! this class, it was so inspirational to hear from someone that shares the same passion and outlook on his work, and he was super friendly!!! To be honest I was pretty intimidated to meet someone with such talent and who has built such success in the industry however he encouraged questions and I was very excited to have had a little chat with him after the class. I got his insight on the industry and as a young makeup artist how can you make it and stand out. He continued to say "work hard!, be honest, inform people of your intentions and your goals and to just be young and be a star!"
We all gathered at the MAC store on Robson in Vancouver! (ps. it was the grey cup was in vancouver and the BC Lions won!) The room was filled with many excited, anxious, passionate individuals all displaying their own unique style. John was introduced and as we all clapped and cheered he introduced himself and began to share with us everything he knew about the industry. He was very personal with his stories sharing with us where he gets his inspiration from and how he approaches a client and a look.
The look he did today was inspired by a painting by Camile Rose Garcia, who is one of his inspirational artists. He continued to take us along on this journey of bright neons colours, intense contouring, dark dramatic homemade pieces and of course glitter! showing that he doesn't really know what "he's doing" but that he's just working organically building the look as he goes . After  many applications of airbrushing,  Paint, Neon pigments and glitter!! the look was complete. Although it isn't a look you'll be seeing on the runway anytime soon it truly was amazing. Makeup is like painting and like art so get inspired and be creative! If not with your makeup, he suggested keeping some water-colour paints around and to just "do whatever, no ones going to see it but you." So this is what I encourage all of you to do. Paint, draw, craft, cook.. release your inner artist and ease the mind with creativity. Creative Therapy??
 the inspiration..painting by Camile Rose Garcia 

What inspires you?? Is it a painting of a particular artist? music? magazines? nature? books? ect..
Look for inspiration everywhere and have fun with it!


Happy creative therapy
XOXO
Relish