Learning to like yourself.

A dear friend asked me to write a blog about something not beauty related. It is tough to write something purely based on opinion because you could receive backlash for it, but she is a wonderful woman and she is going through something many go through.

I like to think of people as bones. We are strong, intricate, complex, and durable. But the moment we have something happen to us that emotionally hurts, we break. During this time we need to repair the damage done and go back to the daily grind. But that is the issue, taking the necessary time to better ourselves. (And for those of you who don't like the bone metaphor, tough shit, I like it.)

We live our lives making rash decisions and then end up regretting them after. People don't know how to be alone anymore, and it's painful to watch. You break up with someone and you immediately need to find some sort of a rebound because you can't deal with life by yourself. That's a problem. Or you are with someone, kind of, and you still think that there is better out there. Let me tell you something, if you have someone right now, left tomorrow to a new country, you would find someone else just as amazing. It's just the way it is. Why are we so unsatisfied with what we have? When did we become so weak?

I was one of these people. I would go through a breakup and not know what to do with myself, so I would fall in love quickly (stupidly) and hurt even harder than the last time. It was immature, it was foolish, it was beneath me. That shit changed, because it had to. You have to grow up, which sounds harsh, but you need to be able to rely on yourself for happiness because no one can actually fill that void until you can do it for yourself. 

A perfect example is a one night stand. You break up with someone and then decide to just sleep with someone. You don't feel great after, you feel incomplete. You aren't with that person, they don't give a shit if you are in emotional pain, you are simply a pin cushion and go home now. Is this the respect you pay yourself? Because it certainly isn't love. 

You have to love yourself first. No one out there will put up with you unless you can put up with yourself. You should be a privilege to love, not a responsibility. And if you are in a "relationship" that is either stagnant or not what you thought it would be than LEAVE. Do you have any idea how special you are? What you deserve? Every single living being deserves to feel happiness and only you can start the chain reaction. Your attitude about yourself will attract individuals who respect you. Leave the misery to those who love the company of it, and better yourself. Take the time to figure you out. 

And if you are the type of person who can't be single, like I once was, then you need to learn how to like yourself. Because you are simply over compensating for the things you aren't confident about within yourself. Relationships don't define you.

Don't limit your worth. 

Eyebrows: The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Why hello there!!

I have been gone for a bit doing god knows what (I suspect raising a child and working), but I decided that eyebrows should be the topic of conversation as it happens to be something I get asked a lot about. So let us begin.

Eyebrows have come back as a focus feature on both men and women's faces. Everyone wants the perfect shape and they want it to compliment their face and features. And I say absolutely!! Why not? Eyebrows can make or break the look of your face, whether it be your makeup or simply how you look naturally.

Now then,

See this picture? Well, I have no idea why the letters look so damned scattered but I will explain what you should judge your brow shape by. The typical explanation is, A should line up with the edge of your nose (the nostril to be exact, and every letter will start with the line starting at the edge of the nostril) and measure vertically with the edge of your eye (as shown). B should start where the nostril is and then angle out to line up with the outer edge of your Iris (where the letter C is which makes NO SENSE). And then C (again starts with the nostril stuff) and then end with the outer point of your eye. B will determine where your (natural) arch will be, and C will determine how long the tail of your brows should be. 

HOWEVER, I do not follow point A at all times as there are people who have wider nostrils and if they did follow the generic guide line, their eyebrows would start too far apart making their eyes look too far apart. So, see the stippled line to the left of A? Yeah? That's where I would judge most brows. I like a longer brow because they appear more youthful and are prettier on most face shapes.

Here are a few examples of Bad/Ugly brows: 

I don't know this girl, but I assume she's nice, or a masochist. I really hope it's the latter, because you'd have to be, to enjoy everyday. The "hook" brow is terrible on anyone. Not only does is make her eyes appear smaller, and gives the illusion that your nose is wider, but they start too far apart. JUST STOP!!

Drawn on brows are not terrible, but these are. I see these just as often as I see hooks or the pencil thin brows. You need to be super careful with drawing your brows because you can completely change the mood that you convey. There are many companies that sell stencils that will make a beautiful brow, and she clearly did not buy them. Face on, she probably looks really pissed off...like really angry. 

These are also drawn on, but these particular brows are a favourite with goth/scene queens (even kings). They never look like time was taken, the line is jagged most times and the colour is almost always way too dark. This makes the brow too much of a focus, and the tail end of them is always too close to the eye, while the body of the brow is usually so high up. These girls and guys tend to look really surprised. And I am left wondering why you would want to look like this...on purpose.

One thing that all these brows have in common (other than looking terrible) is that they are super thin. Thin eyebrows tend to age the face. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part, a thin or short brow will make the face not appear as youthful as you would probably like to look. Unless you like looking like a chola (see below).

Chola brows. Beautiful, no?

Now I will show you some brows that I think are absolutely amazing and you will see,

1. Youthfulness 

2. They don't require as much makeup to keep up with their brows

3. Full brows are in and for good reason

Aishwarya Rai has thin brows but they are still full enough and long enough to really give her face a youthful appearance and her look a more natural approach.

This models eyes are smaller but her brows are extended at the ends to make her eyes appear longer. This make her features appear more exotic and again, makes her natural look very attractive.

The gorgeous Tess Munster. Her brows are what I think are the most well groomed brows I have seen in a long time. Her look is sultry, natural, soft and bold at the same time, and totally finishes her overall look. Bellissima!

If you think you fall into the bad brows column, go and seek someone out who will teach you how to achieve the best you, just by changing your brows. You would be amazed at how amazing your face will look and how your face shape will change. And if you have sparse brows, there are a few companies out there that do sell serums that stimulate hair growth and they do work!! Think about it this way, do you want a lifetime of bad pictures or spend $10-$40 to groom them, and boost your self confidence (yes, there are people who completely change the way they look at themselves when they see the difference). 

I can't tell you how many women have come up to me at work and have asked me to fill their brows and the look on their faces after is priceless. 

No one is born ugly, so to make yourself look ugly is counterproductive. It doesn't take much to fix the problem, but you need to invest as much time as you did screwing them up into making them better. And I say this with so much love. 

Hey, you guys enjoy my blunt demeanor. Remember this. 

Things you may not have known that you are doing to yourself that you probably shouldn't be....

New month, new subject matter. This blog has to do with what I see a lot of people doing that isn't actually good for you.

Let's get into it shall we?

1. Crossing your legs.

No, it isn't bad for your knees, so don't worry about that myth but what it does do is restrict the blood flow to your legs and knees. What that means is that it will restrict blood going to every necessary vessel, especially under your knee(s). Say hello to spider veins. Sciatica is also something that can present itself when crossing your legs is a constant habit. Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body (back down to legs) and is painful when pinch or pulled. So if you can't cross your legs how can you sit ladylike in a skirt or dress? Cross your ankles. It's actually prettier than crossing your legs, makes you sit with better posture too!!

This is the correct way (go Dita!!) -->

2. Dragging your feet.

Unless you have a medical problem or are unable to pick up your feet, act like a decent human being and walk properly. It also ruins your shoes, so keep that in mind. When men do it, women will stop looking at you, and when women do it we look extremely immature (men too), so stop. Also, as a result of doing this a lot, you will find that your shoulders will start to hunch, your pelvis will start to push forward, and your all over walk will become strained looking.

3. Chewing with your mouth open.

If I have to explain WHY you should not do this then you have problems. It's called being polite (unless a medical problem prevents you from doing so, as I am not a monster and I understand these things). It's gross and I purposely avoid talking to people who do it.


4. Touching your face and hair.

Do you like greasy/oily hair and having to wash it more frequently? Do you like acne and problematic skin? Do you like looking like you have a creepy OCD problem? Oh you do? Oh, okay than, as you were....
You have no idea how much bacteria you are moving around on your hair and face.





 5. Slouching.

For most people, bad posture is something you can avoid or correct, but our generation, our world is surrounded by doing things the lazy way. Cars allow us to put our seats down so we can "relax" but all it is doing is throwing spines out of place. So put them up, sit back in your chairs, couches, because better posture means you'll be able to breathe easier, that you will (for the most part) avoid back pain, better sleeping patterns, can possibly avoid sciatic nerve issues, and it isn't sexy, at all.





6. Laying on your left side vs. laying on your right side.

Lay on your left, it's better for you. When you lay on your right, you are actually putting a lot of weight on your Great Saphenous Vein which reduces blood flow (especially scary when you're pregnant due to increase blood production and risk of producing varicose veins)

An update, to update you.

Long time no blogging, and for that I apologize. The little one has been teething for more than a month which isn't necessarily horrible, it just makes the free time that I did have all of a sudden vanish. But he is stating to calm down and be his very happy self which makes me happy as well.

I made two videos. Both will be posted this week. One is to do with bronzers (and the facts may just shock you) and the other is about BB Creams (which was requested and now my friend probably thinks I totally forgot, but I didn't). You see, Derek suggested that I do this very specialized thing with my laptop to ensure that there were no viruses and blah blah blah... in the end all of EVERYTHING I had downloaded (applications, files, programs...etc) were deleted. It is pretty much back to normal now, so I will be able to do the editing that needs to be done (better editing than the last tutorial I posted, promise).

Other things to note: I am almost completely booked for the summer, where makeup is concerned. I have received a few irate messages from clients stating that it is hard to get a hold of me. For one, you should know better than to message me on Facebook  through my inbox as I have stated MANY times that I rarely get the messages and even rarer getting them on time. You have to understand that my personal Facebook profile/page is just that...nothing more. I don't expect my business to be handled through my social networking tools because they aren't meant for that. I am sorry if this offends you but it really is common sense. I have a few hundred messages to go through still. So in light of this monotony I created a third email for all the makeup inquiries:

marlianguisettemakeup@hotmail.com

No, I don't have a website, yet. I wish, but as it stands I already have to sift through so many emails, inbox messages (be it Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, even Formspring) that to dedicate the appropriate amount of time to setting something that elaborate up is just not there. For people that use texting, well, I am also hard to get a hold of so it is probably better that you just call me. I honestly should invest in a work phone so I can handle all of the messages I get in a more timely fashion so please, until that happens, bear with me. Just the idea of needing something else to manage anything seems inorganic to me. Two years ago this would have made me laugh actually, even guffaw.

I also recently started to go through one of my accounts where modelling is concerned and I had thirty-something photographers request me for photo shoots. That is crazy to me, because I have been away from that for so long and I didn't think more than one would contact me after such a long hiatus. But there we have it, I may collaborate with a few that I see suitable, but we shall soon find out.

I am also going to get back into doing fine art pieces for clients as well for myself. I have many ideas jotted down that just need to be finally executed. A few friends have asked me to draw out their stencils for their upcoming tattoos so in doing that I can also start to take requests for others too. Which reminds me, if you would like to inquire about shoots, art commission, and pretty much anything that doesn't have to do with the makeup side I have a general email for that:

marlianguisette@hotmail.com

Now off to editing, drinking my morning shake and possibly playing some Dragon Age 2 (Noah is napping).

Ciao.

New Tutorial: Quick Mom Makeup OR just quick out the door makeup...

So here it is!!

Took long to edit as I tried to have it make sense and you'll see it is quite choppy due to the simple fact that my son is teething and has been throwing tantrums. You will hear him from time to time in the video because it is impossible to not have him being heard in it.

The brushes, the eye colours and the powders can be subbed out for a cheaper alternative. I have made the eye shadows pretty neutral colours so you can find them anywhere. The reason why I use a lot of MAC (aside from working there) is because of the payoff. I would rather spend the money on something that will stay on my skin all day, therefore in the end you actually save more money buying the better product.

Here is a list of the products that I used in the video just in case I was not able to talk about them or I had to edit it out because of the grumpy child I am raising:

 MAC Studio Moisture Tint
SPF 15

 For the skin: 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

MAC Studio Fix Foundation

Laura Mercier
Secret Camouflage Concealer 

 For the Eyes:

MAC Blanc Type Eyeshadow

MAC Wedge Eyeshadow

MAC 217 Brush

MAC 224 Brush

Any Lash Curler

L'Oreal Lineur Intense

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes

 

For the Brows:

MAC Mystery Eyeshadow

MAC Quite Natural Paint Pot

MAC 266 Brush

MAC 269 Brush

For the Cheeks:

Costal Scents Blush Pallet

MAC 168 Brush

For the Lips:

MAC Lip Conditioner

Tanning: Part II A: Self-Tanners

As promised, the list of Self-Tanners. Before I go into the actual list, a few thoughts to ponder over:

1. Make sure to read the list of ingredients!! If the ingredient dihydroxyacetone isn't the third or fourth ingredient, it may react with your skin. Water should always be the FIRST ingredient listed, as it should be the greatest in quantity. Products that list dihydroxyacetone as the first or second ingredient have left some people to break out into hives, rashes and other more severe allergic reactions. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is the active ingredient, and with that being said, do you really want that being in great quantity all over your skin?

2. Every self-tanner streaks if you don't know what you're doing, even when you do know what you're doing, some products just suck. Remember to rub in all self-tanners as if they were a body lotion to ensure coverage and to eliminate streaking.

3. Self-Tanners are not an all-in-one product, meaning that they won't play a double duty role. You need to stick to your normal skin regimen if they are to work. And be sure to make sure that the self-tanner you use is also safe for your face. If it isn't, do not put it on your face because it will just get irritated and damage the skin which will take longer to heal and often times become severely sensitive.

4. Exfoliate!! If you do not exfoliate your skin, face and body, your self-tanner will NEVER look good on your skin. It will streak and it will look patchy. An easy way to exfoliate the skin is by using a luffa puff sponge in the shower, and to make it even more prepared, use a shower gel that has exfoliating beads. Also, remember to exfoliate your face. If you have dry skin, you can get away with exfoliating twice a week but if you have oily skin try to do it every two days or perhaps buy a cleanser with exfoliating beads (a scrub).

5. Avoiding streaky looking hands is really hard to do but there is a way. You can buy the glove that sometimes comes with a self-tanner or you can take a cosmetic cotton pad (after you have washed your hands from using the self-tanner on your body) and use that to go over the tops of your hands. This way, you can avoid making your palms orange, sometimes even a muddy looking brown.



Here is the list of the self tanners that I would recommend, from pretty cheap to products more on the pricey side. From there, regardless of price, I will give my honest opinion on the best to the least judging on my experiences and my clients experiences.



1. Jergens Natural Glow
 $8-9 CDN (Sold at Drug Stores)

This cheaper alternative to the sun isn't greasy, no shimmer (which is good for most people), is far more improved than the original Natural Glow that came out a few years back and evens out your skin tone gradually which gives you total control. Also coming in Fair to Medium, and Medium to Tan gives you a more accurate colour that won't leave you looking like an orange. It also has the face self-tanner to go along with it which I would recommend because body lotion is too thick and usually too perfumed to go onto our faces. Jergens products contain ingredients that help nourish and moisturize your skin as well, but don't make the mistake of thinking that it can take place of your moisturizer, because it isn't. 10-15 minutes to dry.

The only con with this product is the smell. Truth be told, it is probably due to the individual scent of our skin and the mix of body wash and lotion we use. However it does leave a scent on the skin and it gets exponentially worse if you do anything in the sun or anything that requires you to sweat. That being said, I have met a few people who use this who  have not run into this problem. You decide.

2. Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Instant Bronze Body Spray (HOLY WORDAGE)
$16 + CDN (Sold at Victoria's Secret)

This self-tanner promises to give you a sun-kissed glow and junk. Actually, it does, the colour is very pretty and the fade is quite natural. Smells really really good and also will not make you look orange. From what I have also witnessed it also does not irritate the skin, even the more sensitive types. Most people I know use this on the body and face and they have yet to complain. Can't remember if it's greasy, but I am a stickler for non greasy products so I am pretty sure it isn't. And again, no shimmer. 10-15 minutes to dry.

The only con, it isn't going to do anything healthy for your face and body so make sure to put on moisturizers and body lotions like you normally would. Even then, that's not really a con, but the reality.

3. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
$38+ CDN (Sold at Sephora or sttropeztan.com)

This self-tanner is my second favourite next to Clarins', but that will come later. St. Tropez is my favourite for price though. It is my go to for brides, photo shoots, theater, and even more local events like prom or graduation. Super easy to spread, limited streaking (none in my experience), colour is extremely natural looking and it fades very slowly. The smell is pretty average as well and again no shimmer. Can be layered for a darker complexion. Not greasy. 10 minutes to dry.

The only con I have for this product is that even though it gives you time to work with it before it dries, if you forget to wash your hands, you will be scrubbing for a while to get this product off.

4. Dior Bronze Self-Tanner Natural Glow (there is also the shimmer version as well)
$38+ CDN

I was not going to add this product at all but I know a few people who just love it.

It comes in a natural finish and a shimmer finish, which is always nice when you have a choice. Smell is not very apparent and seems to really dull down after you take a shower. Not greasy (noticing a pattern here?) Can be layered for a darker complexion. 10 minutes to dry.

I do know people who have had irritated skin from using this product so just remember to read the ingredients before you drop some money on this pricier product.



5. Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel
$38+ CDN

This is by far the best self-tanner out there. Clarins in general use all natural ingredients that are wonderful for your skin and this self-tanner is no different. Smells wonderful, produces amazing results colour wise, not greasy and fades really well. Can be layered for a darker complexion.

The only down side is that is takes FOREVER to dry (20 minutes or so) and even though I listed that it costs $38, that is for the smallest size, so if you plan on using this for a while, prepare to spend up to $48 for the bigger size.

6. Guerlain Terracotta Spray SPF 10
$60 CDN

If you are a makeup artist you know that Guerlain is the authority in bronzers, powder, creams, sprays...etc. The colour is outstanding, not greasy, super natural, streaking is  pretty limited (but then again it all depends on your method) and the smell is pretty good. The can, although not huge, tends to last for a while (also depending on how much you use) and gives a dewy glow. Can be layered for a darker complexion, but the colour itself is really pretty so don't mess with it too much.

The cons? Price, dries quickly (some people think that is a con), and some people tend to go through this quickly, but that's because people think to look dark you need to slather a product on which just isn't true. If someone writes in that this product doesn't work, you're just lying to us and yourself and that isn't very nice.


So my top picks? (I am taking pricing and reviews into this decision):

Hope this helped!! Thanks for reading.

The next blog will be about bronzers...stay tuned!!

Tanning: The meanest thing you could do to your body.

I know this post will either insult some people or please others. As a professional, I feel it is my duty to deliver the truth about our bodies and to communicate the best ways to take care of them.

I don't understand why people tan when the chances of you getting cancer are so high. The UVA/UVB rays are so dangerous now due to our ever depleting ozone, and the negatives far outweigh the positives.

Now, everyone wants to look like this. But, she is wearing makeup!! A LOT of makeup. The most natural, dewy glowing faces are usually that of pregnant women (which my skin missed the memo when I was with child), or someone who has layers of makeup on.

The one thing I hear all the time is women telling me that they wash their face, moisturize, drink water and that they will really crack down on taking care of their skin in the future, but for now it's YOLO...

So I ignore these people and then let them know what is really happening. If your skin is oily you will get the deepest, longest wrinkles, especially laugh lines at a very young age. I know some women who started getting these when they were 18, 19. And if you have dry skin, say hello to crows feet and a bunch of other fine lines. It is also very tough for makeup artists to make sun damaged skin look healthy. Just because you cover the sun spots doesn't mean that the face no longer resembles leather. Tanning is a no-no to the beauty world and we find other ways to get that exotic colouring.

There are many alternatives to tanning that it is almost sad that this has to be written. Here is what you can do instead of frying your skin (which does smell by the way, after you've gone tanning).

1. Self-tanners:
So many amazing self-tanners are out right now, cheap and pricey that you don't need to play Russian Roulette with your body.

2. Bronzers:
Every cosmetic and dermatological company is making one now that it is easy to find one in your price range and you can control how much you want.

3. Spray Tanning:
Now, some chemicals are harmful to you and the environment so I suggest going with an all natural spray and the fumes will be minimal and it will be very healthy for your skin. This you can also control when they ask how dark you want to be.

4. Don't tan:
Just don't do it. And wear sun protection wherever you go. Even in the winter, the sun can still harm your skin.

  Melanoma is easily avoided and completely unnecessary, we need to take precautions so we can make sure that we don't hurt ourselves. Also, keep this in mind, if cancer is rampant in your family as is, and you tan, you are playing a very dangerous game.

And really, do you want to resemble this ------->

My next post will be specific tanning products where I name off the best of each of the three alternatives I posted. Also, I could make a video of the different bronzers and self-tanners so you can get an idea of price and tone.