One of the perks of covering the IIFA Awards was being able to get my makeup done by the talented MAC artists in the makeup lounge set up at the Royal York hotel. On Awards day, I was planning on using the blue “Siahi” Fluidline from Mickey Contractor’s collection that I had just gotten from their Bloor Street store (the collection is no longer available, but they re-issued it just for the weekend in Canada…I would have been crazy not to pick it up!).

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I can’t claim to be the best packer, but I can say that I’ve made significant strides in overcoming the need to pack my entire apartment for a trip. When it comes to rounding up my makeup and skin products, I stress. For one, sifting through all the different products and shades while you’re still trying to figure out what exactly you’ll be doing on your trip is just not fun. Second, I used to think this whole “all your liquids have to fit inside this little baggy if you want to take in on board or else we’re gonna throw it away right in front of you and crying won’t help” was just crap. But I realized that it forces me to pick and choose what I really need. And for my current trip to Miami, it kinda looks like this:

{What? I’m a beauty writer. Leave me alone} Anyway, since it’s a combo of some of my old and new faves, I thought I’d share.

Left to Right:
1. CERAVE AM and PM moisturizers (in little travel capsules), $14 each
2. MAKE UP FOR EVER Uplight Face Illuminizer Gel, $29
3. MARIO BADESCU Enzyme Cleansing Gel, $12 for 8 oz.
4. SMASHBOX Photo Finish Primer, $16 for .5 fl oz.
5. MD SOLAR SCIENCES Tinted Mineral Screen sunblock, $24
6. MEHRON Celebré HD Pro Cream Foundations, $9 each

I already told you all how much I love Mario Badescu and CeraVe face products. I think these little travel capsules are so clutch for a short trip. You can fit a lot of cream in it and it’ll last you longer than you think. I was sent Make Up For Ever’s Uplight to experiment with and what I found was the only illuminizer I ever liked using (that doesn’t look tacky, doesn’t crease, and since it’s water-based, won’t irritate my skin). More on this soon! I usually like to take one primer with me too, something I can wear under my makeup to help it last longer and look more even. I decided to go with Smashbox Photo Finish (good for pics!), and the small size was perfect for traveling. I also recently got introduced to MD SolarSciences when they sent me their Tinted Mineral Gel. It’s perfect for Miami because it’s not greasy AT ALL, water-resistant, goes on super smooth, and doesn’t make anything I put on top all gooky. I’m pretty particular about my sunblock, and I’m putting this up there with Neutrogena (another fave of mine).

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I first met James Vincent at The Makeup Show last year. He was giving bloggers a preview of some of the latest and greatest products and seriously, he was like a reservoir of golden beauty tips. His ability to create the most flawless faces has led his career to movie sets and photo shoots to working with some of the most well-known celebs like Lady Gaga, Liv Tyler, and Joan Jett. I caught up with him about some of the beauty concerns you all have asked me about recently. In true James Vincent-style, he eloquently lists his useful tips on skin and color theory in a way that just shows you why he’s so respected in this field. Read on:

BATF: You’re already well-known in the fashion and beauty circles, but for those readers who may not be familiar with your work, could you give a quick run down of how you got to where you are, doing makeup on celebs like Lady Gaga to becoming the Director of Artistry Relations and Education for The Makeup Show?

James Vincent: It’s a combination of setting goals, having the drive to meet my goals, having the personality and ability to follow up, and the makeup technique to back it up. Having the ability to put yourself out there and network has gotten very easy because of social media, but if you don’t have the technique to back it up then there’s not a credibility that comes along with. I feel like I’ve been very lucky — I’ve met people who have been mentors to me and that’s one of the reasons education and mentoring is such a big part of what I do. Giving back is so essential.

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Jeannie Mai is a woman after my own heart. The half-Vietnamese half-Chinese beauty started in the biz as a makeup artist for Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera where it wasn’t long people started to take notice of her spunk and style. The dazzling fashionista now hosts the Style Network’s How Do I Look?. And PS, she’s the ultimate foodie!

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How amaze did Mila Kunis look last night? She rarely ever screws up on the red carpet — loved her look from head-to-toe (could not stop staring at her lilac Elie Saab Haute Couture dress). TRESemmé Celebrity Stylist Mara Roszak, styled her and shows us how to get the look:

Step 1: Apply TRESemmé Naturals Mousse to wet hair and rough dry, parting the hair to one side
Step 2: With a 1” barrel curling iron, wave hair away from the face in sections
Step 3: Brush out the curled sections with fingertips and form an “S” wave around the face
Step 4: Pull hair softly into a messy chignon and spray it all over with TRESemmé Naturals Finishing Spray for a soft holding finish

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Shy

I happen to fall in both categories…actually, more the latter…actually, a little more than I like to admit. ANYWAY. So yes, I feel like I’m on-the-go quite a bit, but these few products have made it pretty easy by cutting some serious time on my routines.

Exhibit A: Batiste Dry Shampoo. Price: $8

When you’re in a rush, this thing is a God-send. I’ve already talked about how discovering dry shampoo has been life-changing experience (Read: What is Dry Shampoo?). But really good ones are few and far in between. Klorane’s has always been my go-to, but Batiste’s has been creeping up the ladder to be my new favorite (and it’s half the price!). It sops up any extra grease and gives you volume so you can go longer between washing your hair. I’m not a big morning person, and I’ve always felt I can’t afford to lose precious minutes of sleep by waking up an extra hour or more to shower/do my hair before work (before you jump on me and say ‘eww that’s so gross,’ I’m a night shower-er aightttt?). But sometimes my hair isn’t looking so pretty first thing, and this has always come through without making me look like I have dandruff issues later on in the day as similar products can do. I’ve been using the Blush scented one that’s sitting in my bathroom, and that also belongs to one of my roommates…I’m not sure which one, but I think I will be after this post. (Hi roomie! Thanks for letting me use your dry shampoo!).

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