FASHION Magazine

See all the backstage pictures from Jean Pierre Braganza Fall 2013 »

The makeup: “It’s a very structured eye. We’ve applied a black shimmery shadow over black liner and blended it out. There are two graphic lines [that almost merge near the inner corner of the eyes] creating a downturned feline-esque look. It’s very lioness and a little bit sixties.” — Greg Wencel, Cover Girl makeup pro

To achieve what Wencel deemed the designer’s signature eye (“[Jean Pierre] likes graphic shapes and contrast”), he dragged a black eyeliner pencil along the upper lash line all the way to the inner corner of the eye, splitting it into two lines. He used white liner along the water line and in between the two noir streaks to highlight the space between them. He blended the black liner up into the lids, layering a black shimmery shadow on top and blending it out “to diffuse the colour.” Wencel also brushed two coats of black mascara through both top and bottom lashes, and used a clear mascara to make brows look “clean and tapered.” On cheeks, “we created a soft sculpted look,” he says, applying blush really close to the hairline and contouring cheekbones. For a dewy complexion, he blended a highlighting serum into skin with a flat synthetic brush targeting the chin, the bridge of the nose and the cupid’s bow. The mouth was kept simple with just a swipe of a flesh-toned glossy lip pencil.

How do you curl your hair? From hot rollers to sock buns tricks, there’s a seemingly endless number of ways to make straight hair curly—and as someone with bone-straight hair, it feels like I’ve tried them all. After much trial and error, I’ve discovered that the technique with the most promise comes courtesy of a curling wand, that is, a curling iron without the clamp. However, one problem remains the same: the curls on one side of my head never seem to match the curls on the other. One side looks flawless and red carpet-ready while the other flips out awkwardly, falls in the wrong direction or just looks… bad.

In order to get to the bottom of my hair curling problems, I met up with Morgan Roy, creative director at the Aveda Institute Toronto. It turns out this hair curling issue comes down to dominant hand dexterity and the tendency to do what’s “more comfortable” first.

The ponytail is probably the first hairstyle you ever learned how to do, but chances are it’s one you still struggle with to this day. It should be simple: brush hair back, pull it all together, secure in place with an elastic. But oh, the variables! Hair texture, length and volume can all change the way a ponytail looks and how tricky it is to style. And just when you think you’ve pulled off the perfect ponytail, you let go of the elastic only to see ridges and bumps in your hair. What should have been smooth hair just looks like a mess.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered just how easy is is to fix these common ponytail errors. I met up with Morgan Roy, creative director at the Aveda Institute Toronto, to discuss the problematic ponytail and she shared some easy tricks on how to style one that’s bump-free.

See the top hair trends from the Oscars 2013 red carpet »

From side-parted curls to cropped cuts, hair at the 2013 Oscars played it safe—but with maximum results. Dare we say there was not a single bad hairstyle at last night’s award show? Three leading ladies—Jennifer Lawrence, Naomi Watts and Amanda Seyfriend—wore their blonde hair in similar styles on the Oscars red carpet: pulled into a low chignon with volume at the crown. This romantic look was more about loose texture than showing a sleek style, and considering that all three women have a bit of a natural wave to their hair it was a smart move by their hairstylists. When it comes to marathon events like the Academy Awards (which, from prep to afterparty can last for more than 15 hours) it’s always wise to choose a style that works with your natural hair texture—there’s simply too much time for anything else to fall flat or frizz out.

Every week we take on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more and provide all the answers. This week it’s all about taking care of your skin and hair during the dry, chapped season that is winter. We share a new way of lathering up in the shower, have an itchy scalp remedy you’ll love and tell you how to stay hydrated despite the most temperamental office heating system. (If you’re shivering one minute and sweating the next, you know what we mean!) Have a question we haven’t answered? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.

Read on for the full fix! »

The results are in! You voted and we listened: From perfume and mascara to sunscreen and shampoo, we reveal the beauty products you voted top of the vanity in our 11th Annual Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards. This year more than 65 products make the cut across six categories, including nails, fragrance, makeup and hair. And as always, the Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards rewards products in a range of prices, allowing you to find favourite new products regardless of budget. Ready to see who made the cut? Pick a category below or read on to browse all the winners.

See Kaley Cuoco and Taylor Swift’s looks up close »
See our best dressed list from the People’s Choice Awards 2013 »

Something interesting happened on the People’s Choice Awards red carpet last night. Taylor Swift said “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” to her traditional beauty look while Kaley Cuoco went a little bit country with Carrie Underwood-inspired hair and makeup. Both stars graced the People’s Choice Awards stage many times throughout the night—Swift took home the award for Favourite Country Artist and Cuoco hosted the show—but when it came to beauty, we think Taylor Swift definitely comes out on top.

See how the chignon twist is done with our holiday hair tutorial »
See other holiday hair tutorials »

If the word “updo” is something you normally associate with a visit to the salon, think again! While there are indeed complex styles that require the assistance of many hands, many updos are simple to do at home and take only a few minutes to master. The chignon—which can refer to any gathered hairstyle that sits at the nape of your neck—is ideal holiday hair because, based on your skill level and the event you’re attending, it can be perfectly polished or left loose and messy. But however you style it, compliments are sure to follow. (And isn’t that what holiday hair is all about?)

See all the beauty looks from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! »

The sexiest show on earth, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, will be televised tonight and although many will be tuning in to see the elaborate costumes, fancy lingerie and performances from Rihanna and Justin Bieber, we can’t forget about the beauty. After all, while a million-dollar bra is hard to come by, anyone can try their hand at the hair and makeup done on the Victoria’s Secret Angels. Even better, we have the complete low-down on how to achieve both.

Makeup artist Tom Pecheux gave Victoria’s Secret models such as Miranda Kerr and Doutzen Kroes a look that featured sultry brown eyes, glossy, barely-tinted lips and earthy cheeks. And given just how much skin is on display, the Angels’ bodies were given a sun kissed glow with help from the brand’s Beach Sexy line of bronzers and self-tanners.

See the full Greta Constantine Spring 2013 backstage beauty gallery »

The inspiration:
Daniel Di Tommaso, Sebastian core stylist: “Super, super tight and very, very shiny. [Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong] wanted to make sure that when we pulled the hair back it was almost stretching the eyes.”

Melissa Gibson, M.A.C makeup key: “[Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong] sent a photograph that had a kind of ’50s-ish feel to it [and then] we were talking about the clothing which is so structured, and you think, ‘architectural, how does that come into makeup?’ The idea behind a graphic liner [is that] it’s still a play on what a ’50s liner would be if you were to modernize it, make it a bit more edgy and structural.”

Get the look:
– The super-tight ponytail for Greta Constantine Spring 2013 was actually created by bonding two ponytails together. After wetting down the hair, Di Tommaso brushed Sebastian Shine Crafter Wax through to tame any flyaways. Hair was brushed back into bump-free ponytails and the ends were rope knotted into a bun and pinned down to the head as tightly as possible. Many Sebastian products were layered to achieve a high-shine, but Liquid Steel Concentrated Styler was what made the look: Di Tommaso brushed the Liquid Steel directly to models’ heads, lacquering the hair into place.

We love the bright lips and mussed hair on J.Crew models. Kari Molvar meets the woman driving the brand’s beauty direction.

See what has influenced J.Crew’s look »
See Gayle Spannaus’ favourite lipsticks used at J.Crew »

J.Crew has launched many obsessions over the years: cashmere V-necks, brightly coloured capris and novelty ballet flats. But the fashion retailer, which began as a catalogue-only business in the eighties, has also been not so quietly causing a beauty revolution. Flip open the catalogues, or “Style Guides” as they’re now known, and you’ll find models with electro-pop lips, windblown hair and brushed-up brows, a signature look that went over well when the brand officially presented at New York Fashion Week for the first time with its Spring 2012 collection. Collaborations with indie makeup brands Face Stockholm and Lipstick Queen have led to sold-out collections of lipstick and nail polish (not even eBay-able anymore!), and beauty boldfaces such as Linda Rodin (she of the cult face oil Rodin Olio Lusso) star in the company’s latest ad campaign. All of which is to say: J.Crew is on a big beauty roll.

Miley Cyrus is the definition of scissor happy. She first cut off her long flowing locks in favour of a punky pixie cut in August, and now she has revealed an even shorter style.

Last time she cut off her hair, we noted that she resembled Swedish pop-singer Robyn, but now the resemblance is uncanny. Her new haircut is shaved tightly to the sides of her head and a small faux-hawk tuft of hair has been left at the top—like a last, dying gasp of air from Miley’s bun. Her new fixation with punk-inspired haircuts suits her updated wardrobe, which lately has had more of an edgy rocker vibe than former Disney star. (Will Miley Cyrus’ forthcoming album have the same aesthetic and sound?)