Month: February 2016

Stella & dot

BIG NEWS!

Hi Darlings, I have a huge announcement!!!! Well maybe not that huge but huge for me! I’ve decided to become a Stella & dot stylist! I recently attended my very first Stella & dot trunk show and it was so much fun! Not only did I have the chance to spend the evening with friends, but I also had the opportunity to have a shopping experience in the comfort of my friend’s home. Sipping wine, catching up with friends and looking at fabulous jewelry, what could be better? After the party I went home thinking about how much fun it would be to take part in! I did a lot of googling and research on the company and discovered it’s so much more than just selling jewelry to your friends. I have been asked to take part in a lot of sell at home products but I can say with 100% certainty that this is one company that I am truly excited and happy to be a part of! I’m not going to go and promote it as the “perfect stay at home mom get paid to do nothing” type of gig because I am not a stay at home mom nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It’s a company designed to help anyone who loves quality jewelry, spending time with friends and making new ones, do what they love! I am going to take this and incorporate it into my existing beauty business and seamlessly blend the two together! Once a month I’ll be posting my favorite items from their collection in a blog post to show you all which ones I love and how to use them! That way if you’ve never heard of the company or cannot attend a party you can still see all the products in action! If jewelry and accessories aren’t your thing, no worries, I will still be posting other beauty tips and tricks throughout the month! Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions you have about the company or products! Also if you see tons of jewelry you want and don’t want to put down the big bucks, think about hosting your own party and getting the products for free! All you need to do is invite your friends over to sip, socialize and smile your way to beautiful new accessories! Below is the link to my online shop so you can browse and pick all your favorites! Contact me through my contact page if you have any questions or would like to host your own trunk show! Stay Beautiful!

Sondra

Blonde Ambition Beauty

http://www.stelladot.com/sites/blondeambitionbeauty

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Blonde Ambition Beauty

Pre-Event Skin Care

Skin care should be a vital part of everyone’s daily routine. Your skin is your body’s biggest organ and a part of you that you expose to the world. While it is important to maintain a proper skin care routine daily, there are also a few extra steps you should take prior to any big event! I will share those here with you now!

Tip 1. Don’t start any new acne or skin care practices in the weeks leading up your event. Although I will be encouraging many products throughout this post I always recommend trying it out on your skin months prior to your event. Certain products and skin care regimes can contain ingredients that don’t agree with your skin or that you may be allergic to. Not to mention no product works magically overnight, and often your skin goes through a ‘purge’ phase where it actually becomes worse before it gets better. You don’t want to start a new routine and have your skin in the ‘purge’ phase on your wedding day. If you feel like your skin requires extra attention or new products start them at least 6 months before your event.

Tip 2. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Not just your face but also your entire body. Buff off all the dead skin cells that are taking up space and making your skin look dull! Using a salt or sugar scrub on your body is ideal. Using a microdermabrasion scrub on your face is a must, often foundation and other makeup with stick and settle into dry patches on your face. When your face is freshly buffed your makeup will look flawless and glowing!

Tip 3. Use sunscreen! Protecting your skin from sun damage is the most important step you should be taking daily. Regardless of the type of sunscreen you choose just make sure you use it. Often the SPF in makeup alone is not enough coverage especially if the UV index is high. It is common for people to think they will not achieve a tan while wearing sunscreen and opt out in order to get their bronze on. This is a HUGE mistake! Not only will it prematurely age your skin but it puts you at a huge risk for developing melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. Protect, don’t regret!

Tip 4. Although it may seem unrelated, skin care also starts with what you put in your body. Water is #1, make sure you drink at least 8 glasses a day. That doesn’t include coffee or lattes or wine lol! Drink at least 8 glasses of pure water a day and your skin will thank you! Next up, cleanses. Often people like to do juice cleanses or tea detoxes prior to events to help drop a few pounds. What most people don’t realize though, while most of the toxins are excreted via bodily functions, they will also be excreted via your skin. Primarily your face, front and center! Save the detoxes for another time!

Tip 5. Don’t use a new self tanner or get a spray tan for the first time. If you’re a seasoned self tanner or know a reputable spray tan facility, you’ll probably be fine. But if you haven’t done if before or are unaware of how certain products will perform, I definitely recommend avoiding it. No one wants to look orange or patchy for their special event!

Lastly, finding the perfect regime for your skin can be daunting, it takes a lot of trial and error. It helps to know your skin type and what your skin needs. If you are unsure, I encourage you to visit a licensed esthetician and have you skin evaluated. Also don’t be afraid to ask for samples when at major department stores or boutiques. They will gladly offer up their expertise and samples to try different products on yourself prior to committing to a potentially pricey purchase. Don’t think of am and pm skin routines as chores, think of them more as mini spa treatments, you skin will thank you! Stay Beautiful!

Sondra

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Best of Beauty

Grab some popcorn folks, this is gonna be a long one…..

As I was contemplating what my next blog post should be about, I got a text from one of my best friends asking me about product advice. The lightbulb went off and I decided I was going to compile a list of my all-time favorite Holy Grail products and spread the word! Keep in mind certain things like foundations and powders that work fabulously on my skin may not work the same on yours. So as usual before purchasing something I encourage you to sample it on your skin first! Enjoy!

Primer:

If you plan on wearing your foundation for longer than an hour a day, then you should most definitely be using a primer. There are a ton of different primer options, all of which offer different results and are suited for different skin types. My holy grail primer is Dr. Brandt Pores No More. Not only do I use it on myself but I also carry it in my kit and use it on 80% of clients. This primer may not work for you if your skin is extremely dry as it slightly mattifying, but it mostly smoothes out your skin, fills in your pores and I find, even adds some color correction. You can purchase it and read more about it here.

http://www.sephora.com/pores-no-more-pore-refiner-P376480?skuId=1730134

Foundation:

Once again this one is tough because there are so many variables when it comes to skin, but having myself tried foundation after foundation my go to, I know it will last all day and looks beautiful is my Estee Lauder Double Wear. I feel as though it took me awhile before I jumped on the Estee Lauder wagon as I always associated Estee Lauder with my grandmother haha. Since the company has been around for so long I always assumed it was the makeup I would start using when I had grandchildren. Little did I know, that when a company has been around that long, they are obviously doing something right and clearly know what it takes to make the perfect product!

This foundation is very full coverage, you don’t need a lot to get a flawless face! If you try it and feel that it is too heavy on your skin they also offer a light version of the same foundation. You can also try mixing the double wear with a face cream to thin it out and get a lighter coverage if that is what you like. I wore this foundation on my own wedding day in +32 weather and it lasted! If a foundation can pass that test it’s a winner in my books! Read more about it and purchase it here.

http://www.sephora.com/double-wear-stay-in-place-makeup-P378284?skuId=1465327

Concealer:

If you are not a makeup person or just don’t have time to do a full face of makeup, I always recommend using a little concealer under your eyes. It can really make a difference on how bright and awake you look! Naturally the majority of people have under eye darkness, this is because the skin under your eyes is much thinner than the rest of your face. It is also the first area of skin that loses collagen and elastin and tends to be significantly dryer than the rest of your skin. Without going into too much detail about color correcting and skin care, the best concealer I’ve found for under eyes is MAC Pro Longwear. I use it on myself and in my kit as well and love love love it! Lasts all day, comes in every shade as is relatively inexpensive when it comes to professional/high end makeup. Read more and purchase it here.

https://www.maccosmetics.ca/product/13844/10181/Products/Makeup/Face/Concealer/Pro-Longwear-Concealer

Under eye Setting Powder:

I might start to lose you here now, as this is likely a step that you’ve never done before. Whenever you use a liquid product you need to set it with a powder to ensure it stays where you’ve placed it. If you take the 5 minutes every day to apply concealer you want to make sure it’s going to last. Now a lot of concealers claim to be ‘crease proof’ and ‘long lasting’ but in my experience this is only the case when set with a powder. Technically if you have a face powder that you love, it will work, but these two under eye setting powders are phenomenal!

  1. Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

http://www.sephora.com/secret-brightening-powder-P109911?keyword=LAURA%20MERCIER%20Secret%20Brightening%20Powder%20P109911&skuId=870675&country_switch=ca&_requestid=238460

2. MAC Shaping Powder Pro in Emphasize

https://www.maccosmetics.ca/product/13849/1624/Products/Makeup/Face/Powder/Shaping-Powder-Pro-Palette#/shade/Emphasize

Note: This is a pro product that can only be purchased in pro stores or online, but can be purchased by anyone online even if you’re not a pro 🙂

Face Setting Powder:

As I mentioned above, when using a liquid or cream foundation, you need to set it with a powder to ensure it stays in place. My favorite universal setting powder is Laura Mercier Translucent Powder, although you can also find really nice powders at the drug store. Maybelline Fit me line has many options all at a lower price point and also work great! Read more about the Laura Mercier and purchase it here.

http://www.sephora.com/translucent-loose-setting-powder-P109908?skuId=1635176&icid2=laura_mercier_bestsellers_carousel_brand%3Alaura%20mercier_p109908_image

Mascara:

100% hands down no seconds thoughts, Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll. It’s amazing, volumizing, lengthening and lasts all day! If your lashes have a difficult time maintaining their curl after you have spent the time curling them, then this is your mascara! It’s a little bit dryer than other formulas allowing it to dry faster on your lashes therefore maintaining the curl rather than dragging it out! They also have a waterproof variety that is equally as amazing plus its waterproof, need I say more? Find them here.

Regular:

http://www.sephora.com/mascara-volume-effet-faux-cils-babydoll-P378656?keyword=YVES%20SAINT%20LAURENT%20Mascara%20Volume%20Effet%20Faux%20Cils%20Babydoll%20P378656&skuId=1520220&country_switch=ca&_requestid=244119

Waterproof:

http://www.sephora.com/mascara-volume-effet-faux-cils-luxurious-mascara-P393427?skuId=1430354

Liquid Eyeliner:

Liquid eyeliner is my jam, I’ve tried pencils and creams and gels but nothing beats liquid liner. The best one is definitely Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner. Gives you the perfect wing, lasts all day, never smudges and hell I even use it to tightline! Buy it, don’t look back!

http://www.sephora.com/stay-all-day-waterproof-liquid-eye-liner-P253818?skuId=1221084

Finishing Powder:

Now you’re thinking whoa girl, you already encouraged me to buy 2 separate face powders and here you are talking about a third! Yes, yes I am. If you have dry skin, you can honestly skip the setting powder and just come right down to this one. If your oily and have already set with a regular powder you still need this in your life! Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, specifically Dim Light. They are pretty much photoshop in makeup form, they make your skin look glowy and amazing. I will post the link so you can read more about them but you should probably just buy it, it’s that good!

http://www.sephora.com/ambient-lighting-powder-P377723?skuId=1483502

Lip Gloss:

No brainer again on this one, Buxom Full-On Lip Creams are the best. They are technically ‘plumping’ lip glosses so they have a minty tingly sensation and when worn out in the winter make your lips feel a little bit too cold. But they offer a huge range of shades and look and wear beautifully. Anyone who I’ve recommended them to has also loved them! It’s best to look at the shades in store, but here is the link.

http://www.sephora.com/buxom-full-on-lip-cream-P305132?skuId=1668995

Eye shadows:

This category would be way to long, I don’t even think I could pick just one palette or just one brand. I will happily give suggestions though. If you’re looking for an all matte eye shadow palette, the Tarte Tartlette palette is really nice. They also just released another palette called Tartlette in Bloom which has a variety of Matte and Shimmer shadows. You can find them at Sephora here.

http://www.sephora.com/tartelette-amazonian-clay-matte-eyeshadow-palette-P391759?skuId=1659424

Two other brands of eye shadows I absolutely love are ColourPop and Makeup Geek. Unfortunately these are not sold in stores, they can only be purchased online. ColourPop eye shadows are so amazing though and they are also only $5. They are all sold as individual pots and are a creamy mousse like texture. If you like shimmer and metallic eye shadows they are da bomb! Find them here.

https://colourpop.com/product-category/shadows-pigments/shadowsandpigments/

Makeup Geek shadows are all individual pans which allows you to customize a palette to your liking. Although this means you do have to purchase an empty palette to place them in to keep them sanitary and clean. They sell matte and shimmer shadows but my favorite from them are the foiled eye shadows. Once again beyond shimmery and metallic and amazeballs! FYI if I’ve done your makeup for an event I’ve likely used them on you. I heart them and you will too! Find them here.

https://www.makeupgeek.com/store/eye-products/eyeshadows/makeup-geek-foiled-eyeshadows.html?limit=all

EyeLashes:

If you have an event, such as a wedding or graduation or anything you’re going to be photographed in, I highly recommend wearing strip lashes. Strip lashes are good, because you are able to take them off at the end of the night without having to worry about maintenance or upkeep. Plus they are inexpensive when it comes to alternatives such as eyelash extensions. What many people don’t know when it comes to strip lashes is that there are so many varieties. The most popular and lowest price point are synthetic and human hair lashes. If you really want to amp it up though I recommend mink lashes as they can be worn from 30-40 times and the best ones I’ve found are actually from a local company called Crème de la Crème. You can find them here, and if you have any questions about style recommendations I would be happy to help! P.S All of their lashes are cruelty free so no minks were harmed in the making of them!

http://maisoncremedelacreme.com/

When it comes to blushes, bronzers and lipsticks, it’s the shade that’s more important. There are many many options out there when it comes to these and as long as you like the color you’re good to go. Don’t think they are not important though! If you are using a full coverage foundation and setting with a powder your face can end up looking flat and lacking dimension. It is always good to add some bronzer and blush to bring that dimension, color and warmth back to your face. Blush and bronzer do not have to be expensive and are a must when using foundation!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! I’ve think I’ve covered the majority of products I love, but I would also love to hear you favorites and recommendations!? Thanks for reading! Stay Beautiful!

Sondra

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Review : Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation

Product Info : As Per Sephora Website

http://www.sephora.com/aqua-luminous-perfecting-foundation-P404106?skuId=1783653

What it is:

A light, buildable, liquid foundation that imparts subtle luminosity with a weightless feel.

What it does:
Smooth on foundation coverage that feels ultra-light and buildable, while it evens and perfects your complexion. Every weightless drop of fluid imparts subtle luminosity that blurs imperfections and leaves a soft-focused glow. The foundation features a curated array of eight flexible shades that flatter all skintones.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Phthalates

My Opinion:

First off this foundation retails for $53.00 CAD, which is definitely at the higher price point. As with all my new foundations, I always visit my local Sephora for a free sample. I HIGHLY recommend doing this if you live near a Sephora in order to test products prior to shelling out the big bucks and committing.

The color selection for this foundation is not superb, I picked the lightest shade available which is fair and it was still slightly too dark on me with a very warm undertone. Once it oxidized on my skin it did blend in slightly better but still not a perfect match. For the record I am quite fair with a cool neutral undertone.

I found application for this foundation worked best with a damp beauty blender. I initially used a flat top kabuki brush which left it very streaky so I went over it with a damp beauty blender which smoothed it out. Coverage is very very light, the foundation claims to be buildable but I found it started to look “cakey” around my nose and chin where I attempted to build it up. I don’t even think I achieved a medium coverage. The finish of the foundation was initially extremely nice and dewy, I did set it with an illuminating powder to maintain the dew. I have combination skin which means I am dry on my cheeks and oily in my t-zone and didn’t find that it made me look oily just dewy.

I wore the foundation over my primed face for about 8 hours, by the 6 hour mark it started to look very messy, it was super oily looking over my entire face and after attempting to blot and powder still looked awful. During this 8 hour time frame all I did was clean my kitchen, watch the Bachelor and drink wine. Clearly nothing strenuous haha. For me foundation needs to last at least 12 hours to be buy worthy in my books.

Verdict: I would not purchase this foundation as I found for the price point it’s just not worth it. While the initial finish is nice, you can achieve similar finishes with drug store foundations or bb creams and get higher coverage and lasting power from other foundations.

Disclaimer: This is only my personal opinion, I am in no way affiliated with Becca Cosmetics or Sephora. If you are interested in a specific product I encourage you to sample it on your own skin and see how it works!

Sondra

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Blonde Ambition Beauty

Hello Beauties,

I often have clients asking me how to prepare their hair for the event they have asked me to style it for. So I’ve decided to make my very first blog post about just that!

I suppose the most common question is when should I wash my hair? If you ask any hair sylist they will all agree that “dirty” hair is easiest to work with and holds a style best. Now when I say “dirty” I don’t mean don’t wash your hair for a month, I mean don’t wash your hair the day of your event. Even if you have very fine hair and swear you need to shampoo every single day, it is still best to avoid washing it the day of your event. Your stylist will have dry shampoo and various other products they can use to ensure it doesn’t look oily.

My next tip is to not drastically change your hair right before your event. Stick to what you know, the same colorist the same color the same ol’ same ol’. There is nothing worse than deciding to try a trendy new hairstyle or color a week before your wedding and hating it!

Along with coloring your hair I don’t recommend cutting your hair prior to your special event either. We’ve all been there, you tell the stylist you just, “want a trim” and end up walking out with 4 inches chopped off! Save your trims for post-event, trust me!

Lastly to ensure your hair is in tip top condition, I always recommend visiting your salon for an Olaplex treatment. Olaplex is a deep conditioning treatment designed to strenghthen and prevent damage to your hair, making it unbelievably soft, shiny and luxurious. You can read all about it and find a salon that offers it here http://www.olaplex.com/

Hopefully that covers any hair related questions you might think of prior to your big event. If it doesn’t, please feel free to ask me any that you have!

Sondra
Blonde Ambition Beauty