Part of my job requires me to speak in public. A few years ago whilst presenting to a large group, I lost my voice. I felt it actually strain and snap. Of course, what I had done was over used it and not supported it properly. After that experience I was introduced to the extraordinary talents of Rae Ellen Bodie.
Many companies use interns. Emma, the Daniel Thompson Beauty intern, has very quickly proven to be a very valuable member of our team.
I am always so inspired by young people. They see the world differently and, often, offer such fresh points of view that I am reminded how little I actually know.
There is no "correct" way to do a make up. Make up, like anything in fashion, is a personal expression of style. There are, however, some guidelines that are a good idea to follow when creating a personal look. Just like putting a great outfit together creating a make up look that is polished and sophisticated is easy to do with just a couple of pointers.
Here is my top 3 list of common make-up mistakes that can detract from a great make up look:
Last night I had the pleasure of making my first personal appearance of the season. To mark the one year anniversary of Terra20, in Ottawa, I was invited to speak on an experts round table for the show Experts on Call, which airs on CFRA580 radio, in the Ottawa market. The episode will air Saturday, October 12.
Whenever anyone calls the Daniel Thompson Beauty offices our automated system kicks in with the lyrical sound of The Voice of Daniel Thompson Beauty. I was asked, once, how we programmed such a realistic voice into our phone system. What most people don't know is The Voice is a real person. Years ago we enlisted the talents of a professional voice actor who perfectly personified everything we represent, as a company, in an auditory fashion. She is, however, much more than just The Voice on our phones.
Many cosmetic ingredients have come under consumer scrutiny in recent years. It has become incredibly difficult to navigate the wide array of claims of safety with so many ingredients being called into question. In September I will be participating in a broadcast (stay tuned for air dates) discussing natural vs. synthetic ingredients in personal care products. Of course I have said may times not all natural ingredients are the best choice and not all synthetics are the wrong choice when formulating cosmetics.
While I can't reveal my new Autumn/Winter Collection just yet I can tell you where I will be in the next few weeks so you can experience a one on one appointment and have me create a new Autumn/Winter 2013 look just for you.
My new collection is called Mineral Artiste and it will be officially unveiled on September 4.
As a make-up artist I am very fortunate to work with a great many beautiful women. Over the last two decades I have met and provided make up services for some of the most talented and accomplished women in Canadian entertainment. My work has been seen on Louise Pitre, Anne-Marie MacDonald, Sarah Slean, Dawn Langstroth, Alyssa Palmer, Dione Taylor, Kimberly Seldon, Jean Stilwell, and Erica Ehm just to name a few.
There is a lot of conversation, these days, about the types of cosmetics ingredients to avoid when shopping. Very rarely are there articles espousing the benefits of ingredients that work well and can actually have a profound effect on the skin.
Below is my must seek list of cosmetics ingredients (and of course why):
Cosmetic manufacturers have a litany of laws, guidelines, regulations, and policies with which to comply in order to market and sell finished cosmetics in North America.
With global scrutiny, from consumers, it is very important that all jurisdictions be considered for global trade. Many products are now sold in many different markets including the EU, Canada and the US. Manufacturers have to abide by the laws in every selling jurisdiction in order to be able to get their products to market.
Boom Boom Brow Bar is a chic boutique spa in the West Village in NYC. Known for its kitsch factor and amazing brow services this expert spa is quickly becoming the go to place in NYC for the perfect brow.
Recently they published the Top 5 no no's when grooming brows.
I could not agree with this list more.
Here is the Boom Boom Brow Bar Top 5 Brow Mistakes reposted:
As part if my ongoing work I visit many eco-health/organic spas and stores. I am a big proponent of high-quality, safe cosmetics and whenever I make a personal appearance I am invariably asked about the organic nature of cosmetics products. It's a difficult question to answer. For two reasons:
Any regular reader knows I am an advocate for high quality, affordable cosmetics. Affordable, of course, is a very subjective term and I, like anyone, enjoy splurging on luxury goods now and then.
What I do not like is spending extra money and not getting great quality.
Here is a shortlist of some of my favourite cosmetic finds. High and Low. You decide which ones are correct for you. Yes, all of these items are in my bathroom right now.
“Do you have any tips for someone who wants to start wearing makeup, but in a minimal way?”
Indeed I do!
I get asked this question, in my work, very often. Makeup can be as simple or as elaborate as one desires and I am not a fan of make up rules. My advice is always wear that which makes you feel comfortable.
There are two essential oils I adore. Rose Oil and Lavender Oil. These two oils are very commonly used in the creation of cosmetics products and for good reason (more on that in a moment).
One of my life goals has been to visit Kazanlak, in Bulgaria, and Grasse, in France, to see the production of these oils. Kazanlak is renowned as the epicenter of rose oil production and Grasse is the same for lavender oil.
The cover of this month’s O Magazine featured a huge headline about cosmetics ingredients that can actually reverse the signs of aging. This claim always makes me a little dubious, for a couple of reasons: