Glitz & Glamour

Also known as the "split eye", this look is eyecatching and can add a bit of "drama" to an overall look. Beyonce is often linked to this look, and when done correctly, it can create a longer, more almond eye. Also, adding a hint of colour also modernizes up the look!

 GET THE LOOK (applied in this order): Lid: MAC Eye Shadow in Gold Mine
Crease: MAC Eyeshadow in Cork
Highlight (Brow Bone & Inner Duct): Chanel Soft Touch Eye Shadow in Ivory
Eyeliner (TOP): Stila Smudgepot in Black (look down, much easier to apply!)
Eyeliner (Bottom): With a wet angle brush, apply into Make-Up Forever Eye Shadow in Lilac Matte
Highlight between Liners: Annabelle Eyeliner in White
Mascara: Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir
Foundation: Make-Up Forever Mat Velvet in Neutral Beige
Concealer: Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Beige
Powder: Make-Up Forever Duo Mat Powder in Medium Beige
Blush: Chanel Powder Blush in Orchid Rose
Lips: MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks

Take a Shine to Shine-Free Skin

Love the coverage foundation gives but hate the shine and oil that unfortunately peeps through? There is a fabulous solution: Make-Up Forever's Mat Velvet ($34, sephora.com) is a foundation that conceals skin imperfections, evens out the complexion and matifies the skin leaving a non-oily, powdery finish. The end result? Flawless, shine-controlled skin that lasts for hours. Its soft, fluid texture is not clumpy or heavy, water-resistant and long-lasting. Although it has good coverage, it is very easy to apply as it glides on your skin and doesn't leave an oily residue. This new oil-free and non-comedogenic formula is suited to sensitive skin types, too. It goes a long way and it is totally adjustable depending on your needs: want a light coverage? Simply apply one layer and go. If you want to conceal more blemishes or have acneic skin, apply a few layers for fantastic coverage with a velvet, un-chalky, non-oily powdery finish. And with 16 colours to choose from, there is a colour for ever skin tone. Remember, with Make-Up Forever, a little product goes a long way!

Lift, Tone & Firm Gym-Free?

Experience the most dramatic age-correcting results ever by Estee Lauder's Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age-Correcting Creme ($100, esteelauder.com). This luxuriously rich, silky creme glides on easily leaving all skin types feeling supple and comforted. The outcome is strikingly younger and more lifted, desirably radiant, astonishingly beautiful skin that is full of life. This ultra-lavish, all-powerful creme has an ultimate repair technology and intense hydrators. It does it all: lifts, firms, and perfects the skins appearance like never before. With multi-patented Life Renewing Molecules that combine rare and precious extracts with some of the most scientifically advanced technology. When intertwined, it helps repair, recharge, and restore skin's energized, radiant appearance. With Black Tourmaline (a mineral that carries a constant electric charge), it boosts collagen by encouraging cells to re-strengthen intracellular attachments. And the scent is soft enough to seduce all your senses and the some...

Beauty Muse Daily Tip: The Real Teal

Modernize an otherwise unexciting look using teal! At first thought, we agree, it sounds slightly tacky or distasteful, but the opposite is actually true when it is applied appropriately. Applied as either an eye shadow or liner, the colour looks amazing on all skin tones and is playful and quite fashion forward. Thandie Newton and Demi Lovato use teal as a shadow for a look that is eye-opening with a bright, mod feel; whereas Emma Stone and Rachel Bilson use teal to simply accent their lids; using it as a burst of colour to modernize the feel.

Beauty Muse Tip: Pair teal with earth tones for a simpler look or jazz it up with warm golds or bronzes!

Let's Touch Base

When we see the word "magic", we relate it to anything that refers to supernatural powers; so it is no surprise that when we first saw L'Oreal's Studio Secret Professional Magic Perfecting Base ($8.99, department stores) we had to investigate immediately. Worn alone or under makeup, the formula promises to banish imperfections, smooth lines and hide pores, creating a perfect complexion with a velvety, matte, shine-free finish. It literally glides onto skin as it feels smoothed and resurfaced. You can use the product alone to light up your skin and show a hydrated, smooth finish or wear it under your foundation, as it glides on like a dream. The combination of soft, light powders gives your skin an instant matte look and silky finish. It is silicone based which means it is super lightweight and won't leave a greasy residue. You can find it in Allure's October "Best of Beauty" issue as best primer. (And anything your own mother vows and swoons over as perfect must be true, because mom knows everything afterall).

Thirsty? Drink Up!

We can never get enough of hydrating, amazing skin care, which is why we can't get enough of this amazing moisturizer! Clinique's Pro Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief ($34, sephora.com) is a light, comfortable and oil-free refreshing cream-gel that instantly replenishes skin with 24 hours of soothing hydration. Fine lines, flakiness and taut skin are erased and replaced with a sense of supple, firm, and vibrant well-being. It is like a 'drink' for your skin as it incessantly plumps it with hydration, where one 'drink' is often enough as skin looks and feels happier, healthier.

The man; The Legend

Finally, we can rely on a man to get the job done... Other than its delicious aroma and scrumptious taste, the little gingerbread man by Philosophy ($25, sephora.com) is a ginger hot salt body scrub. It will help smooth out the rough spots and evoke a warm sense of holiday joy. Just in time for the holiday season of frosty, cold air and parched, dehydrated skin, this scrub is perfect for the shower or tub, and it features sea salt and natural extracts to exfoliate and polish dry, rough skin, leaving it feeling silky soft, super smooth and conditioned. (And especially after all the self-tanning we'll have to be doing this winter, this exfoliator is a must! Yes, avoid the tanning beds, people.

"he cleans, he soothes, he caresses, he pampers and showers with you, while always smelling positively delicious. No late nights at the office or Sunday waste away football weekends for this man. He is strictly a girls' guy." (Now that's our kind of man...)

Beauty Muse Daily Tip: Blue is the New Black

We all love an intense and stark smokey eye, but why not modernize it a bit? Skip the over-done and serious black smokey eye for a night, and turn to hues of blue instead (you may even like the change). It complements all eye colours and you can vary the intensity depending on your preference and taste. Keep your lid the darkest and apply a deep navy blue up to the crease (like Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington & Ashley Greene, below). You can also create a smokey cat eye (very now) by flicking this colour outwards slightly at the corners of your eyes (take note from Ashley Greene, below). Apply a medium blue (slightly lighter than your lid) to your crease, and highlight your brow bone with a bone colour. For a stark contrast, line your bottom lash line with a frosted cobalt. The result? Moody and sultry without being overly severe.

Beauty Muse Look: Back to Basics

Whether it be a summer soiree, a night out with the ladies or simply a quiet dinner in, no "classic" look is ever quite complete without the classic matte red lip, or what we tend to refer to it as the "staple" in the make-up lookbooks: purely chic and classy. Below is a perfect look no matter the season: we have soft, clean eyes, flawless, fresh skin, and a pop of matte colour on the lips. These lips demand the right amount of attention but we suggest you hold the gloss for the perfect matte effect.

GET THE LOOK (applied in this order): Highlight: Benefit Cosmetics High Beam
Foundation: Maybelline Age Rewind in Medium/Dark
Concealer: Cover FX M60
Powder: Make-Up Forever HD Finishing Powder
Lid: LANCOME Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Smooth Hold in Filigree
Crease: Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow in Naked
Outer 1/3: Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Espresso (optional)
Highlight: Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Banana
Mascara: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara in Black (3 coats)
Blush: Smashbox Blush Rush in Heartbreak
Lips: MAC Lip Pencil in Cherry

Beauty Muse Daily Tip: Get the True Hue

When women are seeking out to buy the perfect lipstick, more often than not, we tend to try the colour on the back of our hand. However, what we don't necessarily realize is that the natural colour of our hands and lips are extremely different and therefore, when we arrive home to apply the colour on our lips, it looks different. This is when the hair-pulling, yelling or even stomping may commence, but before we lose our luscious locks, try this: conceal your lips first. With either a concealer or foundation, apply a thin layer over your lips to neutralize your lip colour and cancel out any natural colour on your lips. The lipstick shade will no longer mix with our natural lip colour, and therefore, will translate exactly how you expected it to in the department store. Also, it acts as a primer so the pigment lasts twice as long.

Golden Age

Reds, berries, plums, coppers -- they're the colours on everyone's lips and are extremely flattering on a variety of skintones, yet they can sometimes look a tad outdated or passe. With one little secret of an added touch, you can take this defunct look and make it current.

Ways you can avoid this dilemma is two-fold (and quite simple):
1. Choose a lipstick with a subtle hint of gold shimmer already in it;
2. Play scientist and create a pre-mixed product: mix in a gold pigment to the lipstick, or layer your lips with a gold gloss to get the same effect with a little more dimension.

The flecks and sparkles of light in the pigments give a youthful and modern finish to an otherwise old-fashioned shade.
Beauty Muse Tip: even if your lipstick isn't part of the red colour family as listed, adding a hint of gold can still take your pout (no matter the colour), to the next level

Pre-Light Your Canvas

Ever wonder how to get the glowing, radiant skin of stars such as Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez and Kiera Knightly? These women are the most requested "skin" when we apply makeup to makeup so it's no wonder they are our top 3 picks for best made-up skin in Hollywood. Beyond their beautiful features and faces, the initial thought when looking at these women may be, "how do they get their skin to look like that?!" Well, we are sure they have good genes, yes, and possibly even some "support" from doctors alike, but a much cheaper and safer secret is to highlight first before you apply your foundation. Add highlight with a cream, liquid, powder or gel to your forehead area, down the centre of your nose, right above your cupids bow (or lip crease) and along the tops of your cheekbones. Thse are the areas you want to advance on your face when light hits is, and this type of application will make your glow to appear like it is oozing from within your skin, thus making it look more natural and real.

Get Toned

Beauty is not processed. It's not made in a lab. It's grown, cultivated, and cared for passionately. It's not artificial and it's as real as our very own bodies and skin. This is the beautiful philosophy behind the skincare and beauty brand Jurlique. Jurlique takes the earth's unspoiled resources and brings them to life by means of effective products that nurture the skin giving us the natural beauty we've all been searching for. In our daily skincare regimes, we tend to neglect (or are uneducated about) toners, their importance and role in caring for our skin. Jurlique's Rosewater Balancing Mist is a complexion balancing mist formulated to restore, tone, and hydrate the skin in one simple spritz. With its rich infusion of rose and marshmallow living energy, this formula provides the skin with the balancing, moisturizing refreshment it needs and deserves.

Beauty Muse Tip: Instead of msiting it onto your face, which will ultimately waste product, open the bottle and apply to cotton ball (to save yourself a buck or two).

Get Purr-fect Smokey Eyes

With all things feline crossing the seasons of this present year, from spring's cat-eye sunglasses and leopard shoes, to fall's printed bags, belts, leggings, and faux (or real) fur jackets, we've become somewhat obsessed with this trend. It is absolutely no surprise to us that the kitten-craze is spreading across faces, and we couldn't love it any more than we do. Trendsetters Leighton Meester and Kate Moss rocked this look and did so extremely well. We recommend trying it on your peepers ASAP so you too can fall in love with these purr-fect eyes this fall.

Yes, although DSquared2's F/W 2010 look is a little heavy and over-the-top, the look itself is definitely one worth practicing in order to get it just right. With a few slight tweaks here and there, the look is versatile depending on your own style, personality and preference (which are why it is so amazing). Feeling a little daring? Embrace the look of Leighton Meester: she chose a blend of liner and (extremely well blended) eye shadow to create a strong smoky cat eye. Similarly, Scarlett Johansson kept is smoky, catty and sweet: a dark thick liner extending outwards, blending into her lower lashline, with a diffused navy eye shadow. Still too bold for you? Not to worry. Take note from Kate Moss' much more subtle eyes, while still making a bold, statement- she is wearing a softly smoked cat-eye liner in a rich copper hue. In the same way, Rachel McAdams softened up the trend with a thin, dark eyeliner along her upper and lower lash line not extending beyond her lid, and a soft grey shadow on her lids to create the extended cat-eye look.

The final result is the same trend without being immensely intense. Whichever look you decide to embrace, the result will be nothing short of purr-fect.

Perfect Pairs

We recently discussed when colours from different families (such as warm and cool) are worn together on the face, the result is magical; however, mixing and matching colour families may be a little tricky if one is unfamiliar with it. Below are Beauty Muse's picks for what colours and specific products do complement and work with each other. We say "complement" because they do exactly that: they harmonize, balance, and match each other, and are opposites (remember, they attract!). With the colours and groupings selected below, remember that you don't have to use these colours as THE colours to wear (no rules here)-- use them more as a guideline as to what tints, hues and shades go with each other, then you can always go lighter or darker to whatever suits you!

Mixing & Matching

Good morning Musers. More often then I like to admit, as I drive, walk, or trek via public transportation (it's mostly driving, who am I kidding?) through the streets of Toronto, I see women "teaming up" eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks and glosses way too boringly, improperly or just off, in my opinion that is. Experiment people! Firstly, there are really NO rules for make-up, so why are we folloing something fabricated? Erase them from your mind people and please stop believing they are the norm because they aren't!!! (I'm not angry, don't worry, just passionate about make-up). And even IF these rules did exist, aren't rules always meant to be broken anyway? Instead of make-up rules, we have countless options and choices. I mean, I do see tones of women wearing the same colour family all over: lovely lavender eyes, deeper plum blush and lips--and, I suppose, yes, it could work, especially if we lived in a monochromatic world, but we don't live solely in such a world where woman have to follow this "theme"--I strongly believe they are simply applying colours in all the same family because they think they have to, and once again, they are following the non-existent "rule". So, once and for all, you heard it from Beauty Muse: step out of the box and open your eyes to a rule-free world with make-up. None, niente, nada, n'ien. [Okay, enough of my multi-lingual skills, people may start to get jealous.] For your eyes, cheeks, and lips, they do not always have to be in the same colour family. Some who are unaware of what this means, colour families are warm tones and cool tones: warm tones are more reds, oranges, and yellows, and cool tones are more greens, blues and purples. Here we can use colour theory and the famous one-liner "opposites attract": because they do! Mixing colour families together actually complements the face and looks amazing--I am a huge fan (think deep blue eyes, with a neutral, pale orange lip--pure exquisiteness). If you have a cool skin tone (meaning your undertone leans more on the pink side) and you decide to do your eye make-up in corals and golds (warm tones), the rest of your face doesn't necessarily have to be warm, too. In this situation, pairing your warm eyes with a cool blush and lip colour, like plum, is a fantastic combination (and also more flattering). How do you know what goes with what? Lucky for us, we have permanent built-in palette: the back of our hand! Mix colours together and play around to see what looks good with what. If you hate the combo, change it up! Make-up, straightforwardly, is artistry: mixing colours and styles until you find what works for you!

Hot Stuff: Zeno Hot Spot

"You are driving home from work; you look into your rearview mirror and notice, outta nowhere, a little, white-headed friend ogling right back at you..." Can you relate? This scenario is way too familiar us, but now, there is no longer a reason to double up on the cover-up. How? ZENO HOT SPOT ($39.99, myzeno.com)-- it is the most effective blemish-clearing thermal device ever created. With 80 uses, it is a hand-held device that uses a single ingredient, heat, to wipe out the bacteria that cause our blemishes. The result: quick and painless acne relief. Within just one hour, HOT SPOT provides visible blemish clearing and removes or significantly reduces 90% of blemishes within 24 hours.

In 3 simple steps, and 3 minutes later, that unwelcome pimple will officially be disinvited to the facial soiree.

Step 1: Press the Power Button. The power indicator will light up and you will hear a tone to signal the treatment has started.
Step 2: Place and hold the treatment tip on your blemish for the 2.5 minute treatment cycle. You will hear a single beep every 30 seconds.
Step 3: Remove ZENO HOT SPOT from the blemish when you hear a multi-tone sound, indicating the treatment is over.

So long Mr. Blemish, please find a new face to annoy...

Get Your (Re)Move On

Since we all love, actually adore, to put make-up on, whether it's for a quick lunch date or a glam gala, the application of day or night make-up is pure joy and delight, that is, until we get home. Upon arrival, we kick off our heels, neatly hang (or toss) our outfit and yearn for our bodies tucked tightly under our covers. WAIT! Before you even unfold your sheets, you must, must remember a crucial, 5 minute routine: make-up removal. Seeing as you are already in the bathroom brushing and/or flossing your pearly whites, why not give the same attention and care to your face? Just think of how the make-up will seep into your pores for at least 7 hours, clogging them and potentially leading to blackheads, breakouts, rashes (AAH! Enough already). We knew it. A product that makes this practice so much easier is L'Ancome's Bi-Facial Double Action Eye Make-Up Remover ($26, www.lancome-usa.com). It is a double-phase, fresh-as-water, liquid eye makeup remover. When shaken, it activates to gently whisk away even waterproof eye makeup, while conditioning and refreshing the skin. It does not burn or irritate the eyes or skin, and is ideal for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers. Your skin is left without make-up remains and eyes feeling cool and relaxed, with no oily residue.

Get Swept Off Your Feet

L'Occitane, known for their notoriously luxe products, are nothing short of a beauty phenomenon as they are adored by low-maintenance types and glamour girls alike. The products are created from the plants and essential oils found in Provence, a hilly region in the South of France lush with olive groves, lavender fields, and vineyards. Their body, skin care, and fragrances are filled with natural favorites such as honey, verbena, shea butter, and lavender; more specifically, L'Occitane's Shea Butter Foot Cream ($26, sephora.com) is enriched with moisturizing shea butter, lavender essential oil, and an anti-inflammatory arnica extract, which allows this luxuriant cream to smooth and soften skin even as it relieves tired and achy feet. It is the ultimate in foot lotions...

We're Blushing...

With lips, lashes, and liners stealing centre stage for beauty last fall, it seemed our cheeks are getting kinda lonely and left out. Not to worry: re-add some life and vibrancy (and a youthful glow for that matter) back into our faces with a quick swipe of blush. If you tend to have drier skin or mature skin, especially throughout the winter, cream blush works miraculously and looks a lot more natural. Why? Cream blends much more easily into our skin and the colour appear to come from within versus on top. If you are more on the oily side, grab your powder blush and a big fluffy brush.

Beauty Muse Tip: try to stick to more matte colours or those with a subtle iridescence as we generally apply the blush to the apples of our cheeks (and up) and this is the spot of the face where pores are rather larger and the iridescence of the blush would only emphasize their size. Whichever product you decide on, be sure to smile as you apply!

Here are Beauty Muses' Picks: