Recent Shoot

Check out these pics from a recent shoot I did with photographer Renat http://www.renat.ca/
Makeup & Hair by me!

How to Prevent Dry Chapped Lips during Winter

There is nothing worse than trying to apply lipstick or lip liner to dry, chapped, flaky lips. Not only does it feel uncomfortable, it also accentuates how chapped your lips are.So why do we get chapped lips? Chapped lips are caused by the loss of moisture in the lip skin. The natural oils in the skin is lessened by exposure to dry air, wind, sun and cold, . Also repeatedly wetting your lips without protecting them first can also lead to chapped lips and I know we all do this but we shouldn't. A lack of essential fatty acids and vitamin B, poor diet and dehydration can also cause chapped lips.

Chapped lips can look dry, red and feel painful. Lips can also crack, split and bleed. But don't worry - there is hope! Try out these tips and your sexy puckers will feel reconditioned in no time!

Step #1 Exfoliate

Generously apply petroleum jelly to your lips. An inexpensive option is Vaseline. Take your toothbrush and gently exfoliate your lips in a circular motion. The petroleum jelly will soften your lips and your toothbrush will remove the dry flakes. Another option is to use an exfoliator. You can make an inexpensive version in your own kitchen by mixing a little sugar and honey together. Apply it with a toothbrush or your finger. Or you can purchase a lip exfoliator that contains beta hydroxy acid which will help remove dead skin. After either option, dampen a face cloth with warm water and run it over your lips to remove residue.

Step #2 Hydrate

To seal in moisture apply a hydrating lip balm containing any of the following ingredients: shea butter, vitamin E, coconut oil or beeswax. These ingredients help to nourish, hydrate and heal chapped lips. You can also apply cool, salt-soaked cloths to the lips everyday to hydrate the lips. In extreme cases, apply hydrocortisone ointment under the lip balm.

Step #3 Stop Licking your lips!

Avoid frequently licking your lips as much as possible because this only increases the dryness by removing the lip’s natural moisture barrier.

Step #4 Drink more Water

Lack of water in the body makes lips dry so don't forget to drink lots of water. This will hydrate your lips, your skin and just make you feel good.

Step #5 Avoid Matte Lipsticks

Matte lipsticks are very dry in texture. Avoid using them because they will make your lips feel more dry. Choose creamier lipsticks or glosses to add hydration. Also avoid lip plumpers which can dry out your lips. Before applying your lip color, apply some lip balm or moisturizer on your lips to keep them moist.

A couple of my favorite products:

Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden This cream is a classic. Its been around since 1930. It protects, smooths and moisturizes your skin. It contains both beta-hydroxy and vitamin E.

The Body Shop Lip Scuff This exfoliator will help get rid of dry chapped lips by removing dead skin cells. Its filled with lots of great ingredients like macadamia nut oil, namibia leaves, and zambia beeswax. Its easy to use - just apply on your lips like a lipstick then remove residue with a tissue.

Try out these tips and you can have soft, supple lips all year long.

xo Eman Aziz

The Grammy's - Oh What A Night

The Grammys were held last Sunday and they were filled with all the biggest stars. There wasn't any major gossip or drama like past reward shows recently (Kanye stealing Taylor's spotlight or Chris brown brawl with Rihanna) it was just really good music and really good performances.

One word especially came to mind - DIVA! All the big time Divas were there - Beyonce, Celine, Pink, JLO, Rihanna, Fergie all brought it to the red carpet and looked fabulous.

Some of my favorites:

Lady Gaga of course! Brilliant as always. She opened the night with a beautiful duet with Elton John. She had several wardrobe looks for the night all done by Giorgio Armani. Every look was more over the top then the one before. You can really tell a difference with her makeup since she's started working with new makeup artist Billy B! He's amazing - you should check out his work if you love makeup.

Rihanna's dress was definitely a show stopper. She wore a white haute couture gown by Elie Saab that had feather detailing all over the front and neck. Rihanna always goes for something daring and different - that's why I love her style.

My favorite performance of the night (other than Gaga) was Pink. Who else can pull off a nude body suit with straps covering her "privates" as an outfit. She looked amazing, I loved the song she sang and her voice was perfect. Both Pink and Rihanna had similar faux hawks and wore similar silver white eye shadow on their eyes.

Beyonce was gorgeous as always. Her performance was good but a little predictable. She wore her hair sleek straight and a black smoky cat eye. She picked up 6 Grammys in total!!

Fergie looked sooo good, better than she has in a while. Her blue Emilio Pucci mini fit her like a glove. And her choc late brown hair with peachy nude makeup was a perfect match.

I was very impressed with Miley Cyrus - she looked hot and sexy and a little bit of Rock and Roll. Her short Max Azria dress showed off her best feature - her legs. She wore a strong smokey eye and pink nude lips and her hair was left loose and tousled. Love it!

Carrie Underwood was pretty perfection. Her voice sounded amazing during her MJ tribute song. Both her and Jennifer Hudson should make American Idol very proud!!

Katie Perry was a little retro, a little 70's, a little Indian princess. She wore bright colors on her eyes and a traditional Indian Bhindi. I can't believe she's already engaged to Russel Brand.

Glee's Lea Michele looked jaw-dropping in her navy Romona Keveza dress. It showed off her legs and shoulders and made her waist look tiny. I'm a big fan of the show. If you haven't seen it....watch one episode - you'll be hooked.

Now for my least favorites:

Taylor Swift had a huge night winning 'Album of the Year'. She was cute as she always is but I didn't like her long blue gown. The cut of the neck and shoulders looked really awkward to me. And she wore her hair and makeup as she always does.

Jlo - wasn't a huge fan of the dress, the hair or the makeup. Sorry but I miss the old JLO.

Oh Britney, britney, britney.....as much as I love you, what in the world were you thinking wearing this outfit?? See-through, black lace Dolce & Gabbana dress over a bodysuit, paired with fishnet stockings??? I'm so confused. Where are her people?Let me know which Grammy look you would like me to recreate.

xo Eman Aziz

Your Questions Answered - How to Make Large Pores look smaller

Hi Eman

Gone through your videos and they were fantastic .
I've got open pores on my face and I want to use something that can fill my pores so my skin looks smooth. Even after using foundation, my skin is oily. Is there any kind of camuflague that i can use?


So you want to make your pores look smaller. Here are a few tips:
Large pores are caused by two things: genetics and age. There are a few options to deal with large pores.

One option is to go to a dermatologist or a spa to get microdermabrasion treatments. These treatments are a type of facial that gently sloughs off the dead surface layer of skin.

Another option is to use products that have low-strength topical retinol or vitamin C. Both of these are antioxidants that work to increase collagen and elastin production to give your skin a smoother appearance. Try either The Body Shop Vitamin C Super Charged Serum or Neutrogena Pore Refining Cream. Microdermabraison treatments will also help the antioxidant creams penetrate the skin more quickly.

Another option is to conceal large pores with makeup. Start by applying a primer. Primer is a product that evens out skin tone and prevents foundation from sinking into pores. After it dries, apply your foundation. As a final step, use a kabuki brush to apply a light dusting of loose powder. This will make the surface of your skin appear smoother.


xo Eman

Holiday Hair Dos

Its holiday season and if you're like me your month of December will be filled with lots of Christmas parties and Christmas dinners and you'll need to look fabulous at each and every one of them. But coming up with different looks for lots of different events can be hard. So to help out, here's a couple of my favorite hair trends that are perfect to try out this holiday season.

The first hair trend that has been every where lately is The Braid. Everyone from Jlo to Blake Lively to Jennifer Aniston have been seen with this hair trend. But it's not your traditional braid. The trick to this trend is to do a modern version of "The Braid" and pair it up with great makeup and a great outfit. Check out some examples of modern versions of "The Braid".

Another one of my favorite hair trends right now that has been seen on everyone from Megan Fox to Kim Kardashian is the classic Veronica Lake vintage waves. This look is beautiful and ultra glamorous. Pair it up with vintage makeup like a classic red lip and black liner and you'll be the hit at your Christmas Party!

What are some of your favorite holiday hair trends?

Xo Eman

American Music Awards Hits & Misses

A couple of falls, some boy on boy kissing and mediocre performances sums up this years American Music Awards. While there were a couple of people that impressed (Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys) the show was a little boring and so were the performances.

Janet Jackson opened the show with a mix of some of her hits. The performance was good but was typical Janet, nothing new. And I did not like what she was wearing or any of her styling.

Shakira performed and she looked great! But the song and the dance moves....well let's just say I'm not a fan.

Rihanna came out in a white bondage body suit which looked amazing on her. But again, not very impressed by her singing or overall performance. Her makeup did look fierce though!

Jennifer Lopez attempted her "comeback". Might have worked if she didn't fall on her butt right before her dance solo. The song "Louboutins" and the whole boxing theme just seemed like she was trying too hard to do something different but it just wasn't working. If she was dancing in her Louboutins that could at least excuse the fall but she was dancing in boots! I liked her makeup - she wore a classic strong smoky eye, pale lip combo. But I wasn't feelin the hair or the wardrobe. Sorry JLO.
Adam Lambert also had a slight slip at the begining of his performance but recovered smoothly then went into his sexually charged performance. There was grinding, faces in crotches, lots of making out. Yes we got it....he did it for shock value. Ok great...but did it work. It would have worked a lot better if he actually sang well. His voice did not sound that great and all that other stuff was just distracting. He did wear a great smoky eye though.
Taylor Swift won a bunch of awards but wasn't there to accept them.

Kate Hudson presented the Black Eyed Peas. She wore one of the most unflattering dresses I've ever seen. It's no secret that she has a small chest but this dress just did NOT look good.

So who actually impressed me? Lady Gaga....of course. She actually sang and sounded great live. Her outfit, styling, hair and makeup was weird and unique as always. And she did a mini performance of her song "Speechless" on a burning piano which I loved. Plus she danced around in 5inch heels and there's was no falling.

Alicia Keyes and Jay Z Empire State of Mind performance was also one of my favorites. They both looked super sleek and stylish in their tailored suits. Alicia's voice is amazing and I love the song.

What did you guys think of the awards? Any favorites?

xo Eman

Megan Fox Video Makeup Tutorial

Megan Fox is gorgeous. She doesn't wear a lot of makeup because she really doesn't need it. This tutorial is a very simple but glamourous makeup look inspired by Megan's style.

Products Used:

Face

Make Up For Ever Hd Primer #0

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Foundation #34

Nars Custard / Ginger Concealer Duo

Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder

Mac Golden Bronzer

Mac Melba blush

Make Up For Ever Star Powder #946 (highlight)

Eyes

Nars Eye Primer

Mac Cork e/s (brows)

Mac Dazzelight e/s

Mac Orche Style e/s

Make Up For Ever Star Powder #902

Make Up For Ever Star Powder #949

Ben Nye White pencil liner

Make Up For Ever Black Aqualiner #0

Make Up For Ever Aquablack

Make Up For Ever Diamond Powder #11

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara

Ardel #120 Lashes

Lips

Mac Plink Lipstick

Make Up For Ever Glossyfull #6