My blog post last week on Beauty Busted about cosmetic claims sure filled my email with lots of questions about sales pitches. So many people wrote to ask if the information they had been receiving was accurate.
I answered every email personally and I thought I might share, with you, the most questioned sales pitches from those emails:
When I am shopping, for cosmetics I look for certain ingredients in the formula, which I consider "must haves." While this list is different from body care to skin care to makeup to hair care, there are some key ingredients for which I am always on the lookout in all categories of products.
So many of you have emailed or tweeted about attending one of my upcoming personal appearances, and I want to say thank you for that. I am looking forward to meeting all of you in the various Canadian cities I will be appearing over the next few weeks.
One of the most confusing aspects of visiting a spa or salon, or getting your makeup done in a department store is calculating the tip for the many different beauty professionals you encounter.
There are many opinions about the when, why, and how much to tip, and this is my guide based on 21 years as an industry professional, spa operator/owner, salon manager, and creative director of a cosmetics company.
Dr. Allouche is the owner and second generation formulator for the luxury French cosmetics company Biologique Recherche.
The company was founded in 1978 by his father and it has been one the most exclusive brands available in the market place. A single month of over the counter skin care starts at $2600. A full year of home care products will run at over $31,000!
Here is the time you have all been waiting for: my semi-annual Canadian Tour!
Without a doubt this is my favourite part of my job. I love travelling to the various cities and meeting all of you.
To those who have attended past events: thank you and I hope I see you this year. For those of you who have not yet had a chance to attend a DTB Event and meet me in person, here is your opportunity!
Well, at least in the world of fashion it is two weeks away.
With all the new clothing looks now in stores, the new makeup trends are right around the corner. Expect to see major releases from all the major brands starting August 22.
The Fashion Low Down:
Over flowing capes (pictured here is from the Chloe)
I met Heather Allin a number of years ago when I was asked to create a makeup look for her to attend the Actra Awards (Canada's Film and Television Actor's Union). The Actra Awards are part of the television and film awards season culminating in The Screen Actors Awards (formally known as the Gemini and Genie Awards).
They are everywhere right now—gel eye liners. This incredibly popular type of eye makeup has been used for years by professional makeup artists, and now has hit with mainstream consumers.
Newbeauty.com published an article last week with a list of cosmetics ingredients "on their radar." To be fair, the website did not pass judgment or offer an opinion on the efficacy of these ingredients, they simply published a list of ingredients, the products in which they are currently found, and the claims the manufacturers make regarding the use of these ingredients.
This product (now a complete range of products) is the very example of the type of marketing and over-hype the cosmetics industry often employs to help consumers part with money.
By far and away the very first thing consumers do when evaluating a new cosmetic product is smell the emulsion. Smell is a powerful sense, and fragrance elicits so many emotional responses. Cosmetics companies know that consumers respond to fragrances in a way that compels them to shop. One of the most researched (for marketing ability) ingredient categories is fragrance. Last year, I read a report on how Biotherm spent literally millions of dollars to develop the fragrance used in their Skin Vivo line. The fragrance was developed to make consumers think of youth when smelling it.
One of my favourite things about my job is working with super talented women. Sharron Matthews is one of the most fun people I have ever collaborated with. It's a little odd to me that I actually know her, because, while she never actually knew it, she was an inspirational part of my love of theatre, which in turn led me to makeup, which in turn led me to becoming DTB/Beauty: BUSTED!
One of the most under-appreciated cosmetics is brown mascara. I am a huge fan of brown mascara, and I happen to think every woman should own both black and brown mascara. While most women opt for black, brown is a subtle change that allows the wearer to create soft definition for that "no makeup makeup" look. And all in just two quick steps:
Step 1. Using a soft brown eyeliner draw a line tight to the root of the eyelash. Don't worry about being precise, because this line will be blended and smudged down to create soft colour.
In the cosmetics industry, it is not uncommon to see similar products in different retail channels being sold at wildly different prices. It's extremely confusing for the consumer. Products with a bargain price point often make the same performance claims as luxury-priced products.
Time and again, I have said price does not indicate quality when it comes to shopping for cosmetics.
I read an article today published by Today's Parent about sunscreen myths.
At this time of year, there are going to be a lot of articles about summer sun safety and how to use sunscreens. Of course, there will also be a lot of incorrect information in these articles.
This is the first article of the season that I have read, so let me break down the information for you:
