Search Results: Angela Lukach
Back in May, a friend and I hosted a dance attended by a couple of hundred single people here in London. And I wanted to make sure I looked GOOD.
So I went back to my charming Dr. Andy to get my Botox re-done.
During my visit, I asked him about the alternative to Botox, Dysport, another botulinum toxin that has been used in Europe, Australia and New Zealand for years. It has the same effects as Botox, but supposedly kicks in faster and lasts longer. Dysport is also significantly cheaper than Botox. The FDA has an application pending approval for Dysport and it is anticipated that Health Canada will not be too far behind in approving it for use here.
Scientia Derma Roller is an FDA approved application which is simple enough that you can perform it yourself at home.
This technique is also called skin needling or micro-needling and it is not the same as using acupuncture to treat wrinkles (which is only temporary, like moisturizers”>. The therapy is intended to stimulate natural collagen production in order to fill in wrinkles or indented scars — which is what it was originally designed to treat.
Skin needling was first reported in dermatology literature in the early 1990s. Canadian dermatologist/plastic surgeon André Camirand had tattooed deep scars to camouflage them, then he noticed that the patients’ skin texture was improving. He then tried “tattooing” without pigment and noticed that the scars showed visible improvement. The results were published as part of a presentation an international plastic surgery congress in 1992.
Dr. Camirand repeated the treatment on his patients every two to eight weeks and they continued to show improvement without side effects or complications.
In the intervening years, a device has been invented to allow skin needling to be done at home or in the esthetician’s office, rather than just at the doctor’s office. It is a gold-plated roller covered in microscopic needles ranging in length from 0.25 millimetres to 2.2 millimetres. When rolled across your skin, the roller creates microscopic punctures that break blood vessels just below the surface. According to one informational site on the process, “as the blood clots, it creates the right environment for collagen and elastin formation”.
Using the shortest needles, you will only appear to have a mild sunburn; it’s unlikely that there will be any bleeding, swelling or bruising. An added benefit of skin needling is that any topical treatments you apply immediately afterward will truly penetrate deeper into the skin. And you can repeat the process weekly.
Skin needling is also safe for any skin colour; unlike other deeper chemical or mechanical peels, no risk of hyperpigmentation has been found in years of treatment.
I have to admit that reading some of the literature on the process left me a little queasy and that the thought of intentionally puncturing my skin leaves me even more queasy. But for the cost of one Botox treatment, I would be able to buy a skin roller that will last years.
It’s worth a look — and I’ll report back on my findings!
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In keeping with my resolution to feature budget-friendly beauty in this economic climate, I decided to start with one of the largest cosmetics and personal care companies in the world — Avon.
As strange as this sounds, Avon started with one man, a door-to-door book salesman named David McConnell. He gave perfume that he made at home to women to entice them to buy his books; however, the perfume soon became the product he sold. The California Perfume Company was founded in New York City (!”> in 1886 and the first “Avon Lady” was Mrs. P.F.E. Albee. A laboratory was established in Suffern, New York in 1887 and the company opened its Canadian presence in Montreal in 1914.
Avon began offering color cosmetics in the early 1900s.
The company name was changed to Avon Products, Inc. in 1939, two years after the death of McConnell, and the “Avon Calling” campaign was introduced in 1954. Avon committed itself to corporate philanthropy in 1955, starting the Avon Foundation in order to make a difference in the lives of women. The focus of the foundation has been in three areas: breast cancer research, domestic violence and emergency relief.
To say that Avon’s products have evolved would be an understatement. I doubt McConnell would recognize the perfumes available from his company today. From the original single-note florals to Sweet Honesty and Soft Musk, fragrance offerings today include collaborations with fashion designers Christian Lacroix and Emmanuel Ungaro, in addition to celebrity-endorsed scents like Imari (Jennifer Hudson”> and Unscripted (Patrick Dempsey”>.
The company branched out to offer color cosmetics in the early 1900s and today offers a dizzying array of shades in eye shadow, blush, pencils and lipsticks in cream and powder formulations. They have recently begun offering mineral makeup versions of their products, too.
Through their research arm, Avon invented waterproof mascara that washes off easily with soap and water as well as a huge range of skin-care products. Today, you can buy many products with skin-clearing properties like alpha-hydroxy acid, but it was Avon that first made these widely available almost 20 years ago in 1991. The Anew line was one of the first anti-aging lines of skin care products available, building on product lines like Avon Solutions and Clearskin. And Avon was the first major cosmetics company to end testing on animals back in 1989.
Over the years, the company has expanded their brand to include jewelry, clothing, giftware, housewares and soft furnishings, hair care, sunscreen products and lines directed at men and children.
Mark products are very popular with teens.
One of the most successful secondary lines is Mark — introduced in 2003. In five short years, the Mark line has become one of the most successful teen-oriented makeup brands in the world.
I asked my own “Avon Lady”, Kelly Smith, why she decided to sell the products. She told me: “I (enjoy”> the products/gifts etc. and it (is an”> easy way to shop. It’s easy as it’s delivered to you and you make some good money on it. Avon is well-known so I don’t have to push it. People know the name, and it sells itself.
Avon bills itself as “the company for women”, and as their current television ad campaign states, it’s a way for you to be CEO of your own company.
Their makeup products are also good value in these money-conscious times. Take a look for yourself on www.avon.com, www.avon.ca, www.uk.avon.com, www.avon.com.au, www.mx.avon.com, www.avon.fr.
Contact Rou or read her bio.
Happy New Year. Or is it?
I know that this new year is going to be difficult from an economic standpoint for many of you reading this; the message boards are full of posts from members who have lost jobs themselves, or have family members in similar situations. Keeping that in mind, I’ll try to discuss beauty on a budget as much as possible this year.
But did you know that difficult economic times are often a boon for the beauty business? As strange as it sounds, when the economy goes down, cosmetics sales — particularly those of lipstick — go up. The online British financial blog “This is Money” reported in May that quarterly figures from makeup giants L’Oreal and The Lauder Group showed increases in sales, despite a drop in sales in other parts of department stores in the United States in that same quarter. Conventional wisdom holds that lipstick is a small indulgence that most of us can afford, even when our household budgets are being squeezed.
The term “Lipstick Index” to describe this phenomenon is attributed to Leonard Lauder, son of Estée and chairman of the board of the Lauder Corporation. He noticed that sales of lipstick by all brands that Lauder Corp. represents tended to increase during tough economic times.
While the Wall Street Journal found that makeup sales fell in the United States for the second and third quarters of 2008, during the last two recessions overall makeup sales rose by 4 percent and 10 percent respectively. The “lipstick index” may, however, be holding up in other countries. News.com.au reported in early December that it wasn’t only makeup sales going up Down Under. They found that sales of chocolate and alcohol were also increasing as the economy worsened.
And the Avon of the rest of the world — Oriflame Cosmetics of Sweden — is expecting growth of 25 percent again this year. Oriflame is actively expanding in markets that won’t be affected as much by the North American recession, including Russia, China and India.
Another trend related to the Lipstick Index can be found in the color palette chosen by consumers: neutrals are the big sellers. A color that can be worn with everything is more practical than a statement color like deep red, fuschia or orange. See my July 2008 column “Into the Nude” for neutral lipstick suggestions.
If you have favorite colors of certain beauty products like NARS Orgasm blush or MAC Amberlights eye shadow, but can’t afford them, Milani Cosmetics makes duplicates of colors found in many high-end makeup lines. Try Luminous blush or Sun Goddess eye shadow. NYX and Wet ‘N Wild also attempt to duplicate the colors of more expensive lines. It’s up to you to decide if the color payoff and product formulations work for you.
One area not to skimp on is skin care. Clean, clear, healthy skin will make the cosmetics you use look that much better. Buy products on sale where possible, and look for coupons online. There are many sites with clippable coupons to take to the store or lists of online voucher codes.
I wish you and yours a beautiful — and prosperous — 2009!
Contact Rou or read her bio.
One of the best things about the winter months is that darker, more dramatic, makeup colors become more commonplace for those of us not of the Goth persuasion. Smoky eyes for day and deeper lip shades are good complements for the heavier clothes we wear at this time of year, and they’re almost standard for evening wear as we head into the holiday party season.
Here are some lovely dark colors for your consideration this winter!
Avon’s Midnight Hues: a collection of eye liner, eye shadow and nail shades in Warm Black and Midnight Plum (eye liner in Blackest Black and Majestic Plum”> ($3.99 each from Avon Canada”>.
DuWop offers four shades of duos they call Smoke: coordinated eye shadow and liner in black, navy, olive and plum. Their Lip Venom product also comes in a color gloss formula in a deep berry shade they call Berry Chill.
Kat Von D at Sephora: who better to team with makeup powerhouse Sephora for a color collection based on her signature goth-princess look? With four shades of deep red lipstick, a range of eye shadow duos and two palettes, along with six liquid eye liners in shades like Black Metal Love, you, too, can get Kat’s “cat” eyes.
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Revlon’s Color Stay line has an eye shadow quad in blacks and greys called Sultry Smoke. Also check out the “Just Bitten” lip stains in Cherry Tart and Plum Wicked.
Urban Decay is known for their daring colors and even more daring color names. This winter, look for Goddess and Oil Slick eye shadows, Perversion and Smog liquid eye liners, Apocalypse and Revolution lipsticks, and Greedy Lip Envy lip stain.
OPI for Sephora has a handful of gorgeous nail polishes in darker shades. Look for Personal Shopper, Mr. Right Now, Because I Said So, Opening Night, On Stage, Meet For Drinks, Caffeine Fix, Beauty Junkie, Brunette on the Internet, Never Enough Shoes and I’m With Brad. ($9 US at Sephora only”>
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Chanel seemed to create the fashion of dark nail polish almost overnight with their infamous shade Vamp. This season they’re offering another black shade of polish called Black Satin. And they have a special holiday palette called the Smoky Eye Quad ($56 at Chanel counters/stores”> in shades of black, grey and silver.
The late Kevyn Aucoin was the master of the smoky eye and it’s only right that the makeup line that he started developing before his untimely death in 2002 features some truly beautiful darks. Try eye shadows in Aubergine and Midnight, lipstick in Bloodroses or the Liquid Fountain Pen lip gloss in Lilette or Orchelle.
To keep your lips looking their best through party season, try long-wear lipstick formulas like Maybelline Superstay in Wine Shine or Radiant Ruby. MAC’s Pro-Longwear is a popular choice and this fall, there are duos available with deep lip colors and new top coats designed to intensify the base coat. Look at Alta Moda/Hip Love and Red Flame/Orange Flicker.
Happy Shopping!
Contact Rou or read her bio.
If you’re anything like me and you wear a lot of eye makeup, your collection of neutral lipsticks and glosses is probably as large as mine.
Nude lipstick doesn’t necessarily have to be the same color as your skin. The ones that you’ll find look best on you are most likely a variation of what makeup junkies refer to as YLBB — Your Lips, But Better. Generally, you will be looking for a rose-brown or caramel shade, depending on your skin color.
In terms of descriptions, words like beige, honey, nude, tan, cream and flesh appear over and over. For example, NARS Belle du Jour is “sheer nude beige”, while Honolulu Honey is “satin flesh tone beige”. As with all lipsticks, the effect you wish to achieve can be intensified by choosing a more pigmented formula in a matte or cream finish instead of a sheer or lustre finish.
Mac’s Viva Glam is a popular neutral lip color.
Below is a tiny selection of the natural lipstick shades available this summer from make-up companies, at every price point. I chose not to include lip glosses in this installment.
- Benefit Silky Finish – Skinny Dip (cream nude rose”>, Sugar Rush (pearl bronze nude”>
- Clinique Long Last Soft Shine – Baby Kiss, Creamy Nude
- Dior Addict High Shine – Nude Silhouette (sheer muted peach”>, Beige-a-Porter (sheer rose beige”>
- Givenchy Rougue Interdit – Voluptuous Nude (pale peach nude”>, Marron Glacé (warm nude”>
- Guerlain Kiss Kiss – Beige Strass (sheer beige shimmer”>, Beige Sensuel (natural beige”>
- Laura Mercier Stick Gloss – Patchouli (neutral earthen brown”>
- Lorac Cream – Soul Sista (nude satin beige”>
- MAC – Myth (pale muted peachy beige”>, Hug Me (fleshed pink”>
- Make Up For Ever – Pink Beige (cream-soft neutral pink”>, Copper Beige (pearly-champagne beige”>
- Maybelline Moisture Extreme – Desert Bloom, Sugar Plum Ice, Nude Blush
- Revlon Super Lustrous – Almost Nude, Nude Velvet, Champagne on Ice
- Stila Lip Color – Nicole (nude pink cream”>
- Vincent Longo Lipstain – Parlour Pink (brownish pink nude”>, Visuvio Sheen (deep nude sheen”>
L’Oréal has a line called “Made for Me Naturals” featuring four different actresses with different skin tones and hair colors as product representatives. The seven shades in the product line are Taffeta, Nude, Cashmere, Silk, Dune, Sienna and Organza.
MAC’s Viva Glam V (described as neutral pink with pearl”> has become the go-to neutral lip colour for women (and men”> the world over since its introduction in March 2004. It is a warm rose-brown shade in lustre format that suits dozens of diverse skin tones; a look at the spokespeople for this particular lipstick alone bears that out — women as dark as Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim to women as pale Christina Aguilera, Lisa Marie Presley and Dita von Teese.
When wearing a natural lip, it’s best to choose a lip liner that matches as close to your own lip colour as possible. Sephora’s house brand in the shade Nude 114 is what I wear with every lip color I own. Natural 100 and Neutral 115 will suit those of you with darker lip tones.
The nice thing about a nude lip is that the look can be changed in an instant by using a coloured lip gloss over it — or even a sheer metallic gloss like Urban Decay XXX Shine Lip Gloss in Baked or Heatherette.
A nude lip looks great with a smoky eye, but it really comes into its own during the hot summer months, when a strong lip color might clash with the lighter fashions and bare skin on display. Try — and buy — as many of these lovely shades as you dare and enjoy the warm weather!
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