These unreal photos are captured beautifully by A Brit & A Blonde  (this is just a small sampling of their incredible artistry – please check out their site for more inspiration!).

This photo below is a particular fave of mine although it doesn’t really show the make-up or hair.  I love black-and-white photos obviously…but what I love about this photo is the reminder it serves of how special it is to be among the select few let into someone’s Big Day, and share in these private and intimate moments:

The wedding took place at the charming Burroughes building in downtown Toronto, a unique venue with gorgeous exposed brick – an awesome event-space that obviously reflected the couple’s wicked sense of flair.  The details of the day were planned and executed beautifully by Iris Li of Blue Lavender Events.  I love working with Iris – her attention to detail and impeccable taste always puts a couple’s mind at ease, knowing that their Big Day visions will seamlessly come to life.  Umm, hire her!

Talk about attention to detail(s): the stunning bride made her bouquet!  I told you she’s beyond awesome, right?

Another favourite that probably wouldn’t be the best choice for my ‘make-up/hair’ portfolio.  Yes more black-and-white photo love, but more love for the vision of A Brit & A Blonde!  I love how they capture the couple so elegantly, but also all the various surroundings of the Big Day with an an artsy and original perspective.  Yep, hire them too!!  â¥â¥â¥

Things are looking up with the gorgeous couple â¥â¥:

Congrats Huy and Graham!!

Photography: A Brit & A Blonde (www.abritandablonde.com)
Make-up and Hair: Rhia Amio (www.artistrhi.com)
Event Planning: Iris Li / Blue Lavender Events (www.bluelavenderevents.com)

Other than the honour of getting to work with the gracious and gorgeous Val, I’m personally proud of this one as I did both make-up and hair for the bride.  There used to be a time where doing hair intimidated the life out of me, but I love looking at these photos, seeing how Val shines while also remembering how far I’ve come!  Shhh!  …but we added some extensions to give fullness to her hair – you can see the subtle and polished difference it makes versus without extensions here during her eshoot.

This incredible wedding film from the talented folks at Henjo gives you a final glimpse into the amazing Big Day (hope you have some tissues!):

Jeremy + Valeria from HenjoFilms on Vimeo.

More with Jeremy + Valeria on artistrhi.com :)

What you can win (includes a few of my favourite things!):

• Tarte’s Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette
• Rebels Refinery Lip Balm in Mint
• Ardell False Lashes
• L’oreal’s Lineur Intense [my go-to since high school!]
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Brightener and
• a make-over with full make-up application and hairstyling by me :) [let’s connect!]

Approximate value: $350 CAD

How to enter:

1.  Email rhia@artistrhi.com and in 500 words or less, tell me how you [or someone you know] boosts/inspires/goes above and beyond/pays it forward for others [you know those beauty-from-the-inside-out babes!] and/or why winning this contest would, in turn, be a nice beauty boost for the recipient!

2. All entries must be received by March 10, 2015.

Other notes:
**Winner must be able to travel to Toronto.  I’ll choose the winner, because hey it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to :)

That’s it! Pretty easy right? Looking forward to connecting and hearing your stories!

Credits:
First photo by Yugo Takahashi (www.yugotakahashi.com)

I’ll admit that a few years ago I was a snob against clean beauty products, believing that these products couldn’t perform well because they lacked the synthetics that are within all our mass brand cosmetics.  At that point, I had also tried a high-end organic brand and couldn’t get past the ‘natural’ scent that seemed a bit strong.  I figured it was because the products were void of the usual masking synthetics and fragrance so it didn’t matter that it was better for me and that the products were decent…I couldn’t get past its smell! Yep, snob.

Today, I also think about skincare and make-up quite differently.  Rather than using it to just cover up, I also want products that nourish my skin and help ward off signs of aging.  Since I expose my face to a lot of make-up, I figure why can’t it be good for me too?  (See this recent post on how the same clean mentality applies to my skin).

That’s why I have to talk about this game-changer of a brand that’s been a love of pros for a longtime, and is surely making its way onto more and more mainstream it-lists from its once beauty cult-status.  These organic products work beautifully AND they’re good for you (and they also don’t have an unpleasant smell).  This is a brandwagon you need to jump on now (your present and future skin will thank you for it).

RMS Beauty.  Let’s talk:  I love, love everything I’ve tried so far from this line.  On my must-have list (and now in regular daily beauty rotation) are the following:

Living Luminizer
I started off with using this in my kit because of its loved-by-the-pros status, and then I got one for myself as I love how it makes the skin look so alive.  I gave a few away for Christmas because I believe in it so much!  Living Luminizer gives a glowy sheen all without being obvious, nor shimmery – it just looks like good skin.  Even if you’ve over-powdered and your make-up’s looking too flat, you can easily layer this over your powder and it will make your skin come to life, while not disturbing the make-up you’ve already applied.  Your skin just looks fresh, not overly dewy/shiny/shimmery–and that’s how good healthy skin should look–not too matte but strategically glowy.  I seriously feel like the grandma in those Frank’s Red Hot commercials when I use Living Luminizer, as I want to put that sh!t on everything (well, everyone!).

“Un”powder

Unpowder is the perfect name for this magical powder because once applied, it doesn’t look like powder.  Like a magical act, it disappears…and not in the doesn’t-work kind of way!  For all that talk about other products minimizing pores and smoothing out the skin, this powder actually does just that.  It has some undetectable blur effect that I can’t explain – it can only be seen, or unseen.  My skin just looks smooth, not powdered….well, unpowdered. I love this loose powder for setting concealer especially under the eyes, something about its super lightweight texture makes it look so smooth (never cakey or crepey!), and we all need a smooth operator under there!  It’s translucent too so it works well across a variety of skin tones.  Kit essential.

“Un”cover

Just like other RMS products, “Un”cover is made of a minimal list of natural ingredients so while covering up your skin, it’s also nourishing it.  Uncover is touted as a concealer or foundation, and I find it works best as a light foundation for me.  I use my fingers to apply it where needed, and I find using my fingers works it best and melts it into the skin.  The coverage can be sheer to moderate, depending on if you layer it, but the product is easily workable and blends well.  The overall feel is like a second skin but my redness is concealed and my skin tone even.  A slight dewy finish leaves the skin with a healthy glow that to me is like the icing on the cake!

To give you a bit of background on my skin, it’s in pretty decent condition especially ever since doing a clean skincare product conversion.  I’ve read that these products work better when they interact with natural versus synthetic products so maybe that’s why I find it works well for me.  Also, for under my eyes, I do need something more heavy-duty and I do turn to my regular non-organic product for coverage.  I set that with “Un”powder though, as the smooth finish sets it and doesn’t look powdery, which again is unlike any powder I’ve used before.

Lip2Cheek
These gorgeous products work double-duty:  you can apply it on both the lips and cheeks (ok, triple-duty since they’re also nourishing to the skin!).  On the cheeks, they easily blend using fingers giving that coveted lit-from-within kinda glow (in case you didn’t notice, I’m all about the natural glow!).  I have Smile (my fave) and Modest, but I want them all!  Lip2Cheeks are also perfect for travel too and to throw in your purse when you don’t want to pack so many products.

Final thoughts:  I will say that RMS Beauty won’t be the be-all, end-all for everybody.  For instance, I wouldn’t suggest Uncover as a cover-up for really oily skin types, as it is coconut oil-based and likely wouldn’t work well.  For myself, I probably won’t try the Eye Polish cream shadows because I’d imagine coconut oil-based products not lasting long on my naturally oily lids, right?!  It took me years to get over the “natural products won’t perform as well” snob mentality and I still do rely on many non-organic products in my personal routine.  But since we do expose our skin to so many products, it can’t hurt to start incorporating some products that are better for us.

If you’re looking for organic and clean make-up and don’t want to sacrifice on quality, then definitely check out RMS Beauty.

…and oh ya, that Living Luminizer.  Get. it.

:)

My Toronto peeps, RMS Beauty is available at Detox Market – do your skin a favour and check them out!

…because really..most of us just want to turn back the hands of time on our skin, right?

Ok so I’ve been on a clean beauty kick as of lately.  Actually, not just a kick–a conversion– in the past year.  By saying I’m going ‘clean’, I mean I’m trying to use products that are most pure in form and void of the usual fillers and synthetics that comprise most of the skincare and cosmetic products on the mass market.  It only makes sense, right?  Since I pile ALOT of things on to my face from skincare to make-up and everything in between, why can’t (and why shouldn’t) these products be good for my skin??  I knew a definitive change in my usual routine was needed when my skin was just looking lacklustre [bubbye natural glow of the 20s] and when I started getting comments asking what foundation I was using, when I used to get questions asking what products I used to get my skin glowy.  So I took that a little personally, as I’ve never been a student of the heavy-handed school of make-up.  I still like to see skin that looks like skin.  Flawless, yes, but not too “made up”.  So I crossed my fingers that going a bit more clean with my cleansing and moisturizing routine would lessen the need for cover-up overall.  And guess what…it did.  Here’s what I’m (and my skin!) are lovin’:

Olie Biologique (www.oliebiologique.com)

I loooove face oils.  Ever since I started using them, my skin has been better balanced and I’ve had fewer to no break-outs, even during that time of the month.  If well-balanced skin isn’t enough of a reason to try them, then I don’t know what is.  Also, dry and tight skin in the winter?  Nope – haven’t dealt with that in a couple of winters since I’ve been using facial oils!  Read up here why I love Olie.

Odacite An Autumn on the World 15% Vitamin C  (www.odacite.com)
Vitamin C, I’m so into youuu.  In fact, I bought a second bottle of this stuff for safekeeping in case my current one runs out.  Ahem, nerd.

Ok back to Vitamin C.  Vitamin C is your friend – it offers so many anti-aging benefits!  It aids in the production of collagen, which gives skin its youthful elasticity.  With age and other factors like environmental pollutants and UV exposure, our skin’s concentration of vitamin C naturally lessens over time.  Adding some topical Vitamin C helps to balance the skin’s vitamin C levels, which helps to ward off wrinkles and also lessen the appearance of other signs of aging like dark spots.

Actually let me clarify, adding Odacite’s An Autumn on the World is not just adding some Vitamin C – this serum boasts a 15% super concentration, which along with all the other serum’s certified clean ingredients, help to make all the difference in performance.  After using this for about half a year now, I can thankfully say my skin has a supple fullness and brightness that it lacked when I was covering it up with all that make-up last summer.  Also, I’ve had minimal to zero breakouts, and I always used to get those hormonal breakouts on the chin during that time of the month.  I never feel shiny and greasy even though this is an ‘oil’ – my skin just feels balanced.  Lastly, even the hubby says that my undereye circles are not as dark as they used to be (**umm thanks dear**).  I personally think the circles are still there, but that my skin feeling and looking brighter distracts away from them.

Granted this serum is not cheap – at $159 for 0.05 oz (1.48mL), it’s definitely beyond a pretty penny.  But if I think of all the empty-promise skincare products I’ve spent money on in a year versus seeing noticeable results when I started using this about 5 months ago…well then it’s worth it to me.  A little goes a long way and all I need is 2-3 drops once a day to see the improvement in my skin.

In simpler terms, I never write this much unless I really love something.  If you can swing it, this is an essential.

Zorah Biocosmetiques XIA Face Cream (www.zorahbiocosmetiques.com)
Ever since participating as a judge in the Clean Care Beauty Awards, I was lucky to be exposed to and educated on a vast selection of pure beauty products.  This XIA moisturizer is recommended for dry to very dry skin, and while my skin is more on the normal side, I find it to be the perfect defence against the the extreme cold and dry weather that is a Canadian winter.  XIA is formulated with argan and chia oils, so your skin is getting a good dose of antioxidants and Omega-3’s, which in plain ol’ English means using this makes your skin looks more supple on the outside, while all those natural ingredients work to promote cell renewal on the inside.

Neal’s Yard Frankincense Intense (www.nealsyardremedies.com)
Neal’s Yard is another brand of clean products that I likely would not have come across without Clean Care.  I love the feel of this cream – its lightweight formula feels amazing on the skin and leaves it with a non-greasy feel.  Frankincense Intense is powered with plant stem cells which in clinical trials have shown help in the battle with anti-aging.  Their clinical trials show the positive effects of using Frankincense Intense leads to less wrinkles, increased radiance and more taut skin.  Sign me up!  It’s just a new year, but I figure why not get a head start on making the telltale signs of aging disappear? :)

So is it time to go clean with your beauty routine?  After years of trying most products recommended in Allure magazine and across beauty blogs, I think I’ve finally settled into a routine where I’m seeing noticeable results that I love.  Nowadays, I’m heading out the door with just some concealer versus a full routine (primer, foundation, highlighter, concealer), and that’s a big, big step for the usual full-face make-up loving girl that I am.  It could be an age thing too, but this clean beauty conversion is a big reason I’m feeling good just showing my own skin lately…

…and I must admit feeling good in your own skin is a great way to start 2015.  :)

Happy New Year, Happy Cleansing! :)

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!

Hollidaze at Slenderbread Mag (www.slenderbreadmag.com)
Model:  Quinn at BNM Models / Peggi Lepage
Photographer:  Alexandra Votsis (www.alexandravotsis.com)
Make-up + Hair:  Rhia Amio (www.rhiaamio.com)
Wardrobe Styling:  Nicole Contador
Prop Styling:  Cailen Speers

Shine bright everyone!

Credits
Photography:  Sam Assam
Make-up, Hair, Nails:  Rhia Amio (www.rhiaamio.com)
Model:  Brigitte (Elmer Olsen Models)