On warmer days, I like to channel my inner spring hippie child and I like the idea of warming up my face with a bit of colour on the cheeks rather than going super dramatic with bold or deep lip or heavily lined eye, which for me glamourizes cold winter weather.

As you may know I prefer cream colours, and for a fresh "warm weather is here, I swear it" look, I would pair a bronze colour with a peach/pink colour. Two products I use in my kit for this look: Revolution Organics in Bronzed and Sunkissed!

Revolution Organics Freedom Glow Balms are perfect for on the go beauty.  The tubes are completely portable and a colour like Sunkissed can be used on the cheeks and also the lips.  You can sweep Bronzed on the eyelids. The tint is sheer, but buildable and the finish is dewy and soft and NOT too shimmery.

It's a great alternative to all the non-natural and non-organic cream colour products out on the market.

Now, you have probably read every blog and magazine out there, about how to apply bronzer and blush, but just in case, here it is again ...

Apply bronzer first: Sweep the colour just under the apple of the cheeks and blend up towards the temple and out to the hairline.

Apply colour next: Apply to the apples of the cheeks and blend upward toward temple.  Don't bring the colour down too low which can bring down the entire face.

Blend away: using a clean brush or sponge, buff and blend the two colours together eliminating telltale lines and spotty application.

So, if you must buy something this weekend ...

-s-

(I'm in the studio this Sunday and we carry the brand proudly ... just saying!)

I wanted to revisit one of my favourite items once more ... just to give you some ideas on how to dress up your own personal space.

Vintage teacups. They range from simple to delicate to ornate. They add splashes of colour without being overwhelming. And you can use them for oh so many things! Plus, their budget friendly - head to any thrift store and a teacup plus it's matching plate can cost as little as $2.50 plus HST.

Here's how I like to use them:

1. I like putting bobby pins or small hair elastics in the teacup. It's keeps them neat and tidy. Bonus: you can also store your accessories like this - think cocktail rings, earrings, and brooches.

2. I'll arrange two or three pots of eyeshadows or cream colours in the matching saucer. This looks especially cool when you have three separate saucers with different patterns, and then arrange your favourite colour combos in each one.

3. Brew tea. Pour it in. Drink. Kidding ...!

3. (The real one) You know how those cotton pads come in those plastic bags that just never cooperate or look cute when you're trying to be neat with your storage?! Or how cumbersome it is to actually get one of the pads when you're halfway done the bag? A-ha!!!  Put small stacks in your teacup and use as needed!

Think outside the makeup kit ... visit your local Goodwill today!

-s-

Lana's look can be recreated easily with the use of some hot rollers but some people find that hot rollers make the waves a little too curly and tight no matter how much you brush it out.

For a longer looser wave, I like to use three separate tools to recreate Lana's look. A flat iron, large size velcro rollers, and a paddle brush.

Start by working a styling mousse through the hair, root to tip, and then divide your hair into your  sections. I prefer larger sections, about 1.5 in width or a bit bigger.

Working quickly with each section, the first thing I do is run a flat iron down the entire shaft of hair and then wrap it around the velcro roller while still hot. I repeat this step until all sections are wrapped and all rollers are used. Then I let the hair cool and sit in rollers for as long as possible, but 30 minutes is usually good. (For some extra help, and if time is available, I will blast with a blow dryer for about 10 minutes, and then let the cool down process begin).

Once the hair has cooled and set, I release all the rollers, gently shaking loose the hair with my hands.  To bring the sections together and add some volume and shine I use a large paddle brush to brush out the hair. Brush less if you want to keep the waves in tact and a bit tighter ... brush more if you want the wave to be almost undetectable. I like large flat paddle brushes because I find they don't get tangled in the hair (which when you try to untangle end up creating frizz) and are just gentler overall.

Finish with some spray or some glossing serum.

Sure, my way may seem like too many steps ... but if you aren't in a time crunch and want to control the size of your waves and curls, it's a pretty easy way to achieve the look.

Any questions - just ask me! (beautymail@blushpretty.com)

-s-

Well, we can't turn back time but we can treat ourselves to something new for yet another week of hard work well done. So this weekend, if you must, pick yourself up Bobbi Brown's Corrector. Available in 12 shades from porcelain to dark bisque, this corrector is a champion at waking up tired, heavy eyes. Based with pink or peach undertones, its creamy enough to blend without creasing or flaking, but thick enough to neutralize and hide dark undereye circles.

While it is meant to be paired with Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer, Peach and Light Peach are two colours that can be worn on their own without any further coverage.

The package, small and compact, can fit into the pocket of the slimmest jeans. It does have a mirror in its tiny casing, so touch-ups are a breeze and inconspicuous.

I like to apply this concealer with my ring finger, dabbing it across the undereye area. Using my ring finger warms the product up letting it diffuse and melt in easily with the skin. I bring it from corner to corner, and since I use Peach, which naturally brightens skin, I take it slightly over the lid as well.

Bobbi Brown is available at Holt Renfrew, select Sephora stores and Murale.

-s-

Shoot ... where did January even go?

Anyway, back to February, I have some exciting things on the go  this 2012 and it's all begins with February, the month of both love (Valentines anyone?) and blah (who doesn't get a little depressed mid-February?). I thought the best way to kick off February was to get rid of your blahs by showing you some love!

Let's begin, shall we!?

Treat Myself Tuesdays (beginning February 7, 2012)
Every Tuesday at The Blush Boutique will be offering one stellar promotion for walk-in beauties to purchase. Whether its a BOGO deal or a hefty % off, The Blush Boutique is the place to be on Tuesdays (because we also like to hand out lollipops and chocolates!) Look out for our tweets, Facebook updates and blog posts for what's on sale every Tuesday.

Treat Me Nice Thursdays (beginning February 9, 2012)
Thursdays are another great day! Book an appointment on Thursdays and get your brows groomed at 50% off any of our brow prices (starting at $18 before the 50% off!). Just 20 minutes and you walk out the door with a pretty set of brows.

Facebook Fun (beginning February 15, 2012)
I've decided I needed to utilize my Facebook Page more ... and do more giveaways! The 15th of every month, starting this February 15, 2012, I will enter all our facebook fans into a draw for some fabulous giveaways ... sometimes big, sometimes small ... it doesn't matter - there is a chance to win EVERY month.

There you have it! Mark the days and dates in your calendar ladies - I'm looking forward to seeing you at the studio. We're located at 313 Queen St. West, Suite 204 - right on the corner of Queen and John. And don't forget to follow BlushPretty on Twitter and Facebook too!

-s-

During the winter months, I rely heavily on three products to create my base look. By base look, I mean a look polished enough to be seen out at the grocery store, the kiss 'n' ride at the school, and for errand running. I trust this look enough to make me feel like I look young, healthy, and pretty. Anything heavier than these three products, and I feel like I'm wearing a mask that is frozen and ready to crack.

After you have cleansed and moisturized your skin (really really well), here is a routine to try:

1. Tinted Moisturizer or a creamy concealer: If you prefer all over coverage, then go with the tinted moisturizer. Something that illuminates or has light reflecting pigment is a bonus, but any tinted moisturizer will do.  If you don't need to even out your skin all over, then go with perfectly placed concealer around the nose, eyes, chin and anywhere else you have a bit of redness.  The key is to blend well and keep the layers looking light and soft. Products to try: Laura Mercier and Stila for their illuminating tinted moisturizers and Bobbi Brown for her selection of concealers and colour correctors.

2. Highlighter: Highlighting over the cheekbones, under the brow and in the inner corner of the eye has always been a makeup artists go to trick - so why not do it all the time? I prefer creamy highlighters before a powdered highlighter because they are easier to blend.  Look for soft pink, gold or champagne highlighters that provide a gentle sheen - NOT sparkle or glitter infused. Products to try: Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand or Benefit's High Beam (a longtime favourite)or Girl Meets Pearl or NARS The Multiple in Copacabana.

3. Cream colour for lips and cheeks: An all over cream colour is the ideal product to add a bit of colour to the face while still looking natural.  Pinks, whether soft or deep are usually a sure thing.  Rosy pinks are my favourite. I'll apply a bit over the cheeks for colour and blend upward and outwards towards the temple and hairline. Then I'll pat some colour over the lips too for a stained look, but still soft and touchable. Since I already applied some highlighter, I tried to avoid cream colours with shimmer, but that's just a matter of preference. Products to try: Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, Stila Covertible Colour or NARS The Multiple.

You can add to this a bit of lip gloss for shine and of course some mascara ... but I find these three products are all I need to feel pretty in winter!

-s-

And it's also the end of January 2012 (almost): the temperature has dropped a bit since those warmer days we (actually, you because I wasn't here in December, but I heard it was) had in December; the wind has a bit of a bite to it; and your lips and skin are chapped and dry beyond repair. Or so you thought ...

A really easy way to winter-proof your skin is to up the stakes on your moisturizer/cream routine. I'm talking a full out, extra helping, liberal slather of your daily moisturizer. But do you want to know what works better than that: investing in a heavier cream during the winter months.

I had the opportunity recently to test out Korres Quercetin and Oak Antiageing and Antiwrinkle Night Cream and also, the Eye Cream. I jumped on the chance actually given that for the past year or so I've taken a very keen interest in greener and cleaner skincare and colour products.  Korres fits the bill and is very welcome at my vanity table because let's face it - finding truly clean products that are quality as well - is quite difficult.

I'm totally feeling this night cream. While it is thick and luxurious in texture, it goes on smooth and not greasy. It absorbs quickly and the skin is left very soft to the touch once applied. After a good night's sleep, my skin still feels radiant and hydrated in the morning. Since I tend to have oilier skin, I used to be wary of thick "night" creams thinking that by morning I would resemble a greasy pan.  Not the case with Korres.  (Add 2 bonus points!)

Special thanks to it's main ingredient, quercetin and oak, this night cream is a "clincally proven natural alternative to Retinol" meaning that continual use would assist in minimizing the signs of ageing such as premature wrinkling and sagging (who wants to sag, right?).

If I have already hooked you on investing in this night cream you may also want to check out the complimentary Quercetin and Oak Eye Cream and also, Korres Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum. While I have not tested either of two products as extensively as I have the face cream, I do appreciate the lighter texture of the Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum. If you can get in the habit of using your night cream for night only, the serum makes for a great daytime moisturizer. It has a very light scent to it and the texture is even lighter. It disappears into the skin almost instantly, making it a great base for your makeup.

Korres is available at Sephora and also, Select Shoppers Drug Mart (I can see my Optimum Points soaring higher and higher as I type this).

-s-

While I still indulge in Benefit products now and then (I'm a big fan of their eyebrow pencils, creaseless eyeshadows, and boxed face powders) I had never really ventured into their concealers or foundations much. I used Rebel religiously for awhile, but that was a very light tinted moisturizer.

Enter their first liquid foundation: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow.

Nine shades of foundation formulated to hydrate, brighten, and plump up the skin. With both vitamin C and vitamin E, the coverage can be built up to medium.

True to Benefit's cheeky style, the names of the foundations include I'm Pure for Sure Ivory to I'm so Money Honey. In addition, these foundations correspond to the Hello Flawless Custom Powders that are already at the counters. 

I'm looking forward to rushing the counters when these foundations arrive to see how Benefit measures up. The foundations will be online as of February 15, 2012 and in stores soon after that.

Keep your eye out!

-s-

I remember very long ago when the BFF and I discovered Sephora B.C.C (Before it Came to Canada) and all we would talk about is when one of us heads south of the border, or if our parents were returning from south of the border, we would ask them to get us a Shu Uemura Lash Curler.

I remember when I finally got my hands on mine, (purchased by mom in Las Vegas and delivered to me with a "I can't believe you spent that much on that - why is it so expensive?") that I treated it like pure spun gold. Now, I don't even know where it is.

Since then, I've picked up several different lash curlers from dirt cheap (Sally Hansen) to mid-range (Japonesque) to high end (Laura Mercier). And I've had brief affairs with them all: loved them and then left them.

And I suppose that is where my BFF is at right now.  In limbo, looking for a new eyelash curler to fall in love with.

Another friend of ours suggested a Chanel one like hers, but couldn't place where to purchase it or how much it was.  Well, BFF of mine, my advanced Google search techniques (ha ha) says that it was actually a limited edition kinda thing, so I'm not sure it's still on the market. If it is available, it's approximately $34 dollars.

Anyway, it looks like the BFF is back at square one looking for new curler.  For all you beauty junkies out there: would you be a doll and let us know what your favourites are? (and where we could find them and how much they will break the bank)

THANKS!

-s-

Ms. Witherspoon is Elle's cover celebrity for February 2012.  She's graced the cover of Elle a few times but Reese two-point-twelve is smoking sexy (as opposed to her usual super cute or prim and pretty looks) this time around. Everyone made a huge fuss about her voluminous waves on the Golden Gold carperts ... and now take a look at that same hairstyle paired with heavily lined eyes.

Surely, there will be some who don't appreciate this cover. They might say the eyes are lined too dark for her skintone, that her lips need more colour or that it isn't true Reese. But I think that is the point. The point is that Reese has evolved from the Reese we once knew.  She's older, sexier, more confident, and perhaps, an actress to be reckoned with. Sure, she can take on all the america's sweetheart roles she wants ... but she can be tempting and sexy and a pin-up too ... you know, if she wanted too.

The point is I seem to interpret this all from the sexy makeup and hair. It's amazing how going from straight to wavy or from cherry lips to dark mysterious eyes changes our perception almost immediately.

I like Reese any which way ...

Anyhow, I challenge you this: three times out of the week, change up your look. If you're normally a bronzer and blush kind of gal, then tomorrow, go au-naturel with your skintone and add colour with a bold lip. Or if you tend to do nothing but mascara, then keep going but add a rim of black eyeliner and a pale gloss. Explore fun, flirty, or down right sexy damsel ... you're a multi-level type of personality (not multiple personalities - I didn't say that). Fun and happy  today, or perhaps introspective and mysterious two days from now.

Keep everyone guessing ... it makes you interesting!

-s-