Getting "CHEEKY" with Hello Magazine

Check out this piece I'm mentioned in about BLUSH and how to apply it, in Hello Magazine!!!

 Follow Hello Magazine on Twitter at:

@HelloCanada

It is with GREAT pleasure that I FINALLY present to you my iPhone App called "Makeup iQ"!!!!!  Yes, you read it correctly...I created MY very own iPhone/iTouch App called Makeup iQ!

I've been working on this app for many many months. It was truly a LOT of work (and that's putting it lightly), but I am sooooooo proud of it.

Makeup iQ is the 1st makeup app of it's kind. It's a quiz and makeup game mixed into one. Answer the skill testing makeup questions...the more answers you get correct, the more makeup and hairstyling you can apply to your model. The goal of this app is to help you learn more about makeup application, and have fun while you're learning.

Enjoy challenging yourself, trying to get a higher score with every quiz and sharing the model you've created with your family & friends by saving the picture and texting it, emailing it or posting it up on Facebook & Twitter. You can even make the avatar look like yourself and post it on Facebook & Twitter as your profile picture for fun!

Feel free to send me your scores and pics of the models you've created to my email: tracyp.makeup@gmail.com or send it to me on Twitter @TracypMakeup and I'll share it with the Twitter World with your name & score.

PLEASE spread the word about this app with EVERYONE you know! Once you're in the app, there's an email icon that you can hit at the end of the game, in order to send a pic of your model and a brief suggestion of the app to whom ever you email it to. I'm sooooooo proud of it! Let me know what you think of it and if you like it, please leave a GLOWING rating and comment in the Apple Store, but ONLY if you like it...LOL!!!

How much do you know about makeup? Take the test today!!!! What's your Makeup iQ ?

 To Download the app

Click HERE

Back in July, Carrie Fisher arrived in Toronto, to start a 6 week run of her one woman stage show Wishful Drinking  with Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexander Theatre...GREAT show by the way! I was hired to do her makeup for her day of press for the show.

For those of you who don't know who Carrie Fisher is, she played the iconic role of "Princess Leia" in the epic Star Wars  Trilogy. She is also daughter to the 1950's Hollywood entertainers Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher.

The day started at 7am in her downtown Toronto hotel room. Me and the hairdresser got her ready in a half hour and then we were off to start the day. First stop was my home Breakfast Television, next stop was the Jian Ghomeshi Show. The day ended at the Royal Alexander Theatre, where 4 more television stations set up for interviews.

Throughout the day, Carrie regailed us with her humour and interesting stories. She liked my work and we got along so well, that 2 weeks later she requested my services for her NEW Jenny Craig TV commercial and print ads, shot here in Toronto.

The commercial is now on the air...keep your eyes open for it! To the left is one of the many pics taken that day by Jenny Craig for the before and after pics.

I found Carrie Fisher to be kind, hilarious and a GREAT story teller. She has the greatest sense of humour and it was a complete pleasure working with her.

Here are some behind the scenes pics from the set of the commercial.

I made sure to take the pic of me and Carrie below, for my brother...he is the biggest Star Wars  fan and he was completely JEALOUS!!!! Lol! 

Follow Carrie Fisher on Twitter

HERE

BEAUTY BLENDER now available on eBeauty.ca

This pink sponge is sent from above!!! The Beauty Blender is the latest hot trend to hit the makeup industry. Invented by Hollywood makeup artist Rea Ann Silva, she knows what works best to achieve the perfect flawless finish.

The Beauty Blender applicator (sponge) has a smooth suede texture and rounded surface unlike the traditional triangular sponge with sharp edges that waste product and create visible streaks in the finish. This elliptical shape makes it easy to access the hard to reach areas, corners and creases on the face. Use the pointed end to reach areas like around the nose, mouth and under eye.

HOW TO USE IT:

I find you get the best results when you use it damp. So.....

                                        Step #1 - Wet the sponge

 Step #2 - Squeeze out the excess water

Step #3 - Wrap paper towel around sponge and squeeze out the excess water again.

NOW YOU'RE READY TO GO!

 TIP:

For any depressed areas or areas with pockets on the face, use the pointed end, stipple (dab) and twist. The bouncing motion of the stippling pushes the makeup into the curves and the twist blends out the edges!!!

 I use the Beauty Blender everyday on my clients Dina Pugliese (Co-host of Breakfast Television) and Tracy Moore (Host of Cityline) and they LOVE  the look it gives as well!!! I suggest you get the fingers to clicking and hurry up and get this sponge before they're ALL gone!

WHERE TO GET IT:

The great news is it's available here in Canada on the amazing beauty online store ebeauty.ca

Buy NOW by Clicking HERE

Follow eBeauty.ca on Twitter

HERE

Top of the Makeup Chain

In the September Issue of Chatelaine Magazine, I am quoted about one of my favourite makeup products......

A few months ago, I was contacted by Chatelaine Magazine to participate in their celebrated annual Beauty 100 List.  As you can imagine, I immediately and with great humility accepted the privilege. For any other makeup artists out there, you know what a badge of honour this truly is!

My opinion was asked on a bunch of my favourite products and why I love them. I've been excited & curious to see which favorite product of mine they picked from my list. Finally, drumroll please.....Here's what they choice!

I am truly honoured to be apart of this year's Chatelaine Beauty 100 List!  I hope to participate again next year! Hint...Hint...Hint!!!! Lol! Pick up your own copy and see what else is on the Beauty 100 List!

Check out Chatelaine Magazine Online:

 HERE

Follow Chatelaine Magazine on Twitter:

HERE

BRONZE ME BABY

It's officially that time of the year...SUMMER!!!! Everyone is outside trying to tan or buying makeup to fake a tan. Everyone wants that bronzy sun-kissed skin.

Some of my favourite bronzers I like to use on my clients (NOT on myself because I was born with naturally dark skin) are:

MATTE TEXTURED BRONZERS

CARGO'S Bronzer: it goes on smoothly and gives you a beautiful finish. They come in both a matte and shimmery finish.

CARGO'S Water Resistant Bronzer: Long wearing, weather-proof bronzer that's perfect for the hot weather

CARGO'S Coral Beach Blush: Even though it's a warm peach bronze color medley blush, I love to use it on my lighter skinned clients as a beautiful bronzer, because of it's subtle finish.

SHIMMER TEXTURED BRONZERS

MAC'S Bronzer: A lightly frosted tinted powder that gives the skin a natural glow.

CARGO'S Big Bronzer: A beautiful golden shimmery bronzer that gives the skin a sun kissed sheen.

CARGO'S Multi-Mix Bronzer: A beautiful liquid bronzer that you mix with your favourite liquid foundation! What's amazing about this product, is that you control how much bronzer you want to add.

TIP: You don't have to apply bronzer to your entire face, you can apply it to the areas where the sun naturally hits your face ie: cheekbones (start on the apples of the cheeks in a circular motion & work outwards to cheekbones), nose (lightly sweep the bronzer on each side of the nose) and chin (dust the bronzer quickly over the chin area).

So, there's a few of my favorite bronzers that I always keep on stand-by.

What are your favourite bronzers?

Go up to the menu bar and click on "GLOSSIP" and tell us what you use when you want that sun-kissed glow!!!

Ivanka Trump

The absolutely GORGEOUS Ivanka Trump, came to CityTV to promote her campaign with Magnum Ice Cream on Breakfast Television and Cityline on May 12th. She blew through the station so fast, so when I say I only had a minute to talk with her, I LITERALLY mean a minute!

She initially came first onto Breakfast Television, and was brought up to the makeup room for a minute. We were quickly introduced to each other by a Breakfast Television producer and then they spent the next minute talking about what she was going to do in her segment. So, there was no time to get much out of her at that moment. But I don't give up!!!

I had a quick talk with her makeup artist and she told me they had to leave after the segment right away to do more press with other media, but would be back for Cityline. So, I waited to catch her then. What I do for my readers!!! Lol! She came back for Cityline and I caught her while she was waiting to go on. I asked her what her makeup must haves were and the first thing out of her mouth was TIGI Bed Head "Big Fat Fun Eye Liner" Brown color.

The next thing she said was, "I love to use Estee Lauder to cover up the circles under my eyes"! Ivanka gestured over to her makeup artist and said "What's the name of that concealer I love by Estee Lauder"? Her makeup artist pulled it out of her makeup bag and this is what she showed me. Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face & Body SPF15.

I didn't have much time with Ivanka, but in that one minute I did have she was very kind and accommodating.

So, now you know how to get the beautiful look of the lovely Ivanka Trump!

Follow Ivanka on Twitter @IvankaTrump

CityTV Beauties in Blue

The lovely ladies from CityTV Toronto (above on the left) Dina Pugliese, co-host of Breakfast Television and (above on the right) Kathryn Humphreys, sports anchor for CityTV News, were asked to pose for the Blue Jays Catalogue. I ONLY did makeup on Dina, because I had already done her makeup earlier on that morning for Breakfast Television, so I did a quick touch up on her and then she went off to the photoshoot.

Kathryn was already at the shoot, and had been done by another artist. Dina told me, when she got to the location, the makeup artist that was there didn't do anything to her. (I'm good...Lol)!!!!!

 For a BEHIND-THE-SCENES video of the actual photoshoot, click  

HERE!

Vicky Binns aka. "Molly Dobbs"

On April. 14th the excitement was in the air, with the awaited arrival of the British actress Vicky Binns (who plays Molly Dobbs) on the wildly successful British Soap Opera Coronation Street!!!!  I am a HUGE fan of the show, and every year around this time, I have the pleasure of meeting actors from the show, who come to Toronto for The British Isles Show.

When Vicky entered the makeup room, I smiled widely and exclaimed with enthusiasm "MOLLY"!!!!  (Oh, yes I did)! She giggled (I'm sure she's heard that many times) and extended her hand to me. We exchanged pleasantries and talked about her time here in Toronto and brief visit to Nova Scotia. Then we got down to the good stuff...Coronation Street! Ahahahahahah! 

In the pic below, is Dina Pugliese & Vicky playing around doing their best version of the infamous Soap Opera "Surprised" you just found out your husband is having an affair "LOOK"...and speaking of affairs, back to Corrie St.

*Quick Corrie Street Synopsis: Vicky's character "Molly" had an affair with her husband's "Tyrone" best friend "Kevin" and now she's pregnant with "Kevin's" baby! It gets better, "Kevin" is like "I don't want this baby, get rid of it" and "Molly's" like "Nah uh, I'm having it"! And this whole time poor "Tyrone" has no clue what's going on.....DRAMA!!!!!! Juicy, right?

So, I joked telling her how annoyed I am with "Kevin", and if he tells "Molly" to get rid of that baby one more time I'm gonna flip! Lol! She surprisingly says to me, "Well you're one of the only people who are on my side. Most people I meet are upset with "Molly" and say she's a slapper" (British slang for trollop). Lol! We continued to joke around about her character's situation on the show and then I thought I should get to some makeup talk at some point.

FAMOUS FAVORITES  

I asked her what her makeup must haves were and she told me she loves Max Factor's Pan Stick Ultra Creamy Makeup...that's quite a mouthful! She went onto say what her favorite lipgloss was, but she couldn't remember the name. She said it's from MAC, it's a coral color and it has a funny name. Right away I guessed "Lychee Luxe" and she said "Yup, that's it"!!!

I was so happy that I got to do her makeup from scratch, and here's what I used!

SKIN: Vasanti Concealer V1 (under eyes) & Kett Airbrushing Foundation on entire face. To set: C4 & C6 Studio Fix by MAC

EYES: MAC "Vanilla Eyeshadow" (Brow Bone), "Corduroy Eyeshadow" (Crease), "Brule Eyeshadow" (Lid), "Mystery Eyeshadow" (Lower Liner) & L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara 

CHEEKS: MAC "Dame Blush"

LIPS: Joe Fresh Lipgloss "Petunia" mixed with "Flamingo"

Vicky was a complete pleasure to be around and do makeup on. I've been a fan of Coronation Street for years and I think I just found my NEW favorite character...Molly!!!!

Elisha Cuthbert

Today on Breakfast Television, the former 24 TV Show starlet Elisha Cuthbert was a guest. She was on to promote her NEW TV sitcom show, Happy Endings to premiere on April. 13, 2011. Elisha arrived to set with her makeup already done beautifully, she only needed me to do a quick touch up and give her lips.

She asked me for a pinky sort of color, so I knew right away what to give her. I pulled out the tried, tested and true VASANTI Lipshine, called "Flores".  It's a gorgeous flirty pink, with an amazing shine. She loved it right away, saying "It's Perfect"!!! She liked it so much that she asked me what it was and where she can get it. I told her the name of it and that it could be bought in Shopper's Drug Mart.

I then asked her what her makeup must have was and she quickly said, MAKEUP FOREVER'S HD Powder.  Me being familiar with MAKEUP FOREVER'S HD  Line, I enthusiastically agreed!!! I went on to ask her, if she had anymore favorite's and she said she loved the JOE FRESH Makeup Line, especially the lipstains. I too can vouch for this line and their products. I have been a fan of JOE FRESH products for a while now (particularly the lipglosses)!

So, Elisha Cuthbert is not only beautiful, but a proud Canadian supporting fellow Canadian Makeup lines like JOE FRESH and hopefully she's ran to her nearest Shopper's Drug Mart to support another Canadian line VASANTI, by picking up not 1 but 2 of the "Flores" Lipshines!!!

Stephen Harper

On March 11, 2011 - Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper took over the CityTV Building when he appeared on Breakfast Television. When I say took over, I mean took OVER!!!

The morning began with security scoping out the building, hours before he even arrived. They checked every floor of the building, every exit to the building, basically getting to know the building. The station was crawling with them.

Then there was a knock on the makeup room door. A very official guard asked for permission to enter the room. He pulled out this device that seemed to be a detector of some sort. He then proceeded to INSPECT EVERYTHING...every drawer, every cabinet, every closet, the bathroom, every nuck and cranny, he even inspected UNDER the makeup counter.  Just when I thought he was done, he turns to me to ask what makeup I was going to be using on the Prime Minister! I showed him and he examined that TOO!!!! What he was looking for, I have NO CLUE!

After he was done, 2 more men entered the room. One stood guard at the door in the hallway and the other was assigned to sit in the room with me! After my questioning the 2 men about what they were doing babysitting me, I learned that they were police officers and they were stationed with me because apparently before the Prime Minister enters a room, there must be an armed guard already in it! Well, you learn something new everyday!

Stephen Harper finally arrived (with 3 more armed guards) and he reached out to shake my hand. He sat down and I started to do his makeup. I didn't get a chance to say much, because the whole time he was in my presence, the guards were holding him in conversation that I just had no business joining in on. LOL!

After I was done his makeup, I was asked if they could have the makeup room to themselves to talk in privacy. So I left! I learned from the guard in the hallway because the room was searched thourghly that means the makeup room was deemed safe, so that was a good holding place for him.

So, there's my experience with the one and only Prime Minister, Stephen Harper! It wasn't much of a makeup story, but it certainly was a good story! :)

FLARE MAGAZINE is a very well respected Canadian Fashion Magazine, that I have been reading for years. So, I am very proud to say that, I wrote my very first piece for FLARE ONLINE. It's called BEAUTY BASICS: The 5 Top Makeup Tips Every Woman Needs To Know!

Check it out! 

HERE

I was contacted by the good people at Flare Magazine, to inquire about what I use on Dina Pugliese (Co-Host of Breakfast Television) for the show. So, here's Dina's interview and my mention in the article. It's this month's April edition, page 94 on newsstands NOW. Check it out!

On February 25th I did an hour on Cityline, which consisted of me doing a makeover on an audience member, as well as a segment on: How To Pick The Right Concealer!

To watch my segment on concealers (don't be confused, I'm 1min & 15sec in), click

HERE

To watch the full show, so you can see the beginning and end result of the makeover I did, click

HERE

Dear Tracy,

I love JLo's makeup, the duey skin and especially the pale shiny lip. I've tried over and over again to get that look on my lips. I've bought light colored lipglosses, but my red lips shine through and I've tried pale lipsticks too, but all they've done is make me look sickly. Is there a trick to getting the sexy pale lip or should I just give up and leave this look to the beautiful celebrities?

Michelle

ANSWER

Michelle,

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked how to create this look. I assure you, you're not the only one who finds it difficult to achieve. But worry no more, I'm going to show you how easy it is to get this look.

TRICK #1

The first thing you have to do to achieve this look is BLOCK your lips. Blocking your lips means, wiping out the color of you natural lip by applying your favorite concealer or foundation.

*Reason: You want to block your lips, because usually the natural color of someone's lips are a pink, red, if you're darker skinned a dark brown or in some cases some people have discoloration on their lips making their lips 2 or 3 colors. Usually your natural lip color is darker than the light color your applying, and will peer through the lip product, compromising the color trueness of the lipstick or gloss.

With a sponge take your favourite conealer or foundation and dab it onto your lips, until your lip color matches your natural skin tone.

TRICK #2

Take your favourite powder that you usually use all over your face and dab it onto your lips, with a sponge or face brush.

*Reason: You want to set in place the makeup you just put on your lips, and it will help with the lipstick or glosses longevity.

TRICK #3

Get a lipliner that is one shade darker than your skintone and outline your lips.

Reason: Because your lips are blocked , you've now lost any definition to them and you need to create it again by drawing it in.

TRICK #4

Apply your favorite light colored lipstick (it could be light pink, light beige, light peach, light brown or skintoned). Try to use a lip brush, so you don't apply much pressure and it's easier to control.

TRICK #5

Apply your favourite light colored lipgloss on top! Once again preferably with a lip brush.

Michelle, that's how you achieve the JLo pale lip. Go over the TRICKS again and practise practise practise! Sooner than later, you'll have the sexy supple smile. Pucker Up Buttercup!!!

If you have any MAKEUP TIPS you want to ask me? Please go up to the top menu bar to ASK TRACY and send me your questions!

COLOR CAMPAIGNS

There was a time, when women of color were NOT considered attractive in the mainstream media, much less be used as an image or icon to help sell beauty. In the past  few years we have started to see, more and more images of Black Beauty  grace the pages of magazines and billboards, in major makeup endorsements. I'd like to acknowledge the general makeup lines that are geared to EVERY woman, but they have chosen to use a Black person to be the face of their company. Using Black women (in one case man), as spokes people in their Ad Campaigns, are helping to broaden the image of Black Beauty. All respect goes to MAC, Cover Girl & Revlon for pushing the boundaries of what the consumer will accept as beautiful and breaking down color barriers for the masses!!!

How can I not celebrate Black History Month without paying homage to the ground breaking makeup lines that are specifically targeted to Black women or for women of color, such as Fashion Fair, Black Opal, Vasanti, Nacara, and Iman! These companies have stepped up to the plate and filled a void that WAS and STILL is there in the cosmetic industry. These companies showed respect to those of us, who were ignored by the general makeup lines, who didn't think it necessary to formulate colors for us.

All the companies above have in their own way contributed to Black Beauty  being not only accepted but glorified, and I am happy to say we've come a long long way. Having said that, I long for the day, when it won't be necessary to write about the lack of selection for darker makeup, but I will continue to sound the alarm on this issue and until then.

Please go out and support these lines, they not only celebrate Beauty...they celebrate RESPECT!!!

I'm asked all the time....where do I go to get my eyebrows waxed? To be honest I have only had my eyebrows waxed ONCE, like 10 years ago! Once it was done, I found I only had to follow the shape that was designed by the aesthetician, and only go in and clean up any stray hairs once in a while with a pair of tweezers (my brows don't grow in thick).

So, I just decided that I was going to keep tweezing, because it was cheaper. The more and more I did it, the easier it became and the less it hurt! Soon I started to get brave and shape them the way I wanted, depending on the way I felt. I've been tweezing my brows ever since!!!!!!

So, it made me think to throw the question out there to all of you. What method do you use to groom your eyebrows?????

Who's a TWEEZER?

Who's a WAXER?

Who's a THREADER?

Who's a SHAVER?

How do you do it?  Why do you do it? And more importantly where do you go, so everyone else can try your favourite spot, and give a shout out to your favourite aesthetician!

Please go to the top menu bar and click on "GLOSSIP" and weigh in on the topic!

Natural Beauty's Natural Luster

Ok, I was first introduced to this wonderful product a couple of months back when the beautiful & talented Carmindy Bowyer (of TLC's What Not To Wear) appeared on Breakfast Television & Cityline. She was on to promote a line of cosmetics called Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy, as well as her appearances on The Shopping Channel here in Toronto.

Carmindy was gracious enough to give me a sample of some Natural Beauty products and The Natural Luster was one of them. I fell in love with this product immediately!!!

Natural Luster is a cream textured highlighter, that comes in two colors...one for lighter skin tones & the other for darker skin tones. Because of it's sheer formula, these two colors can work on ANY skin tone (keep in mind you use a light application). I have a very dark skin tone and the darker shade even works on me!

DIRECTIONS: I love to apply Natural Luster to the high cheek bones and temples, concentrating on the outter sides of the face. When you do this application, it gives the face a fresh luminescence to it and catches the light ever so gently, giving the appearance of higher cheek bones as well!

You can also apply Natural Luster to the brow bone and the inner corner of the eye towards the nose as a highlighter. (As seen in pic to the right)

TIPS: When applying Natural Luster to the eyes I use brushes, but when applying it to the cheek bones and temples, I dab it on with my ring finger (because your ring finger uses less pressure). I find when using my fingers to apply, I get a nice sheer application and it's easier to control the product and blend out.

If you want the product to read from a distance and need a heavier application, I suggest using a sponge and stipple (dab) Natural Luster onto the skin. The sponge picks up and puts on more product.

*IMPORTANT: Natural Luster is HD (High Definition) friendly!!! I use it everyday on my clients who appear on HD Television and it gives them a gorgeous glow without looking overly shiny (I mainly use it on the high cheeks and temples).

Whether you're a professional makeup artist or not, this is a MUST have for any women's makeup collection. It works for television, photography, bridal and especially everyday wear!

I say this with all I can MUSTER,

Please go get NATURAL LUSTER!

You can purchase Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy at:

Shopper's Drug Mart Locations & The Shopping Channel

Check out Carmindy Online HERE

&

Follow Carmindy on Twitter HERE

Watch the segment I did on "HD Makeup" on City TV's Breakfast Television!

HERE

Watch my segment I did on: "How to do HD Makeup" on CityTV's Cityline!

HERE