Charlotte Ronson Beauty Coming To Sephora!

Designer Charlotte Ronson is known for her “effortlessly chic” downtown aesthetic and has firmly established herself as a fashion icon for the unique modern woman. This September, she translates her fashion philosophy into a new lifestyle beauty collection presented exclusively at Sephora: Charlotte Ronson Beauty.


Check out some of the collection in stores this month!

CHARLOTTE RONSON BEAUTY FOR FACE AND BODY Closer Light Filter Powder ($20) Get ready for your close up with this light adjusting finishing powder. Available in one shade that perfectly adjusts to you and your complexion. This is your no makeup, makeup. 3x A Charm Bronzer, Blush and Luminizer Trio ($28) 3-in-1 blush, bronzer and luminizer that’s like a complete cheek wardrobe, giving you the essentials to mix and match for multiple looks. Summer’s Kiss Face and Body Glow ($18)  Sheer, weightless liquid bronzer adjusts its shimmer and glow based on your lighting, evening skin and brightening tone. CHARLOTTE RONSON BEAUTY FOR EYES AND LIPS All Eye Need Eyeshadow Quads ($22)  Four long-lasting eyeshadow quads with perfectly coordinated shade combinations for easy application on the go. A Perfect Kiss Gloss ($14) An array of the most wearable shades out there, these super-shiny, pillowy glosses come in a delightful heart-shaped component. Available in 6 shades. CHARLOTTE RONSON BEAUTY FOR HAIR A Perfect Mess ($20) A styling spray that gives you Charlotte’s perfectly tousled beach chic hairstyle, without having to endure the sun’s damaging and drying effects.       CHARLOTTE RONSON BEAUTY ACCESSORIES Camo Clutch Makeup Bag ($28) A medium-sized camo clutch inspired by Charlotte’s runway collections. I happen to be a fan of CR and am pretty excited to check out the line... My top pics would have to be the Shadow Quads and the Perfect Mess styling spray!

Guest Post: Plastic Surgery Misconceptions

We are a celebrity and vanity fuelled society but did you know not all plastic surgery is about being vain? It can be as you will read below, about taking corrective or necessary measures that can benefit ones life.

One common misconception of breast augmentation surgery is that it only applies to enlargement procedures. This is largely because society seems only to notice when someone makes her breasts larger, but not when smaller or less obvious changes are made. However, as you will see if you do a bit of research at relevant websites such as aboutplasticsurgery.com, there are actually multiple types of breast augmentation surgery, each of which serves a different purpose entirely.

Strangely enough to people unfamiliar with the topic, another common type of augmentation surgery is actually used for breast reduction. The fact is, many women who have naturally large breasts find them cumbersome and uncomfortable; in fact, a large number of these women actually experience back problems as a result of the weight of their breasts. For some of these women, breast augmentation is a very appealing solution, as doctors can actually reduce the size of the breasts without negatively affecting their shape or feel.

This type of surgery is also used quite frequently in a reconstructive context. For example, many women who go through battles with breast cancer are forced, at some point during the fight, to give up one or both of their breasts. The augmentation surgery allows such women to have their breasts “rebuilt” in a sense, as surgeons can now essentially reconstruct the breasts more or less exactly as they existed before the cancer. You can imagine how big a part of the physical and emotional recovery process this can be for some women.

If you are considering any of these different procedures, you can do much more extensive online to help you decide what exactly you want and to help you pick a doctor. The purpose of this article is simply to better inform those who do not realize the full capabilities of breast augmentation surgeries. While these medical procedures can indeed be used for enlargement purposes, their potential benefits extend much further.

Post Written & Sponsored by http://www.aboutplasticsurgery.com reps.

Fall's Arrival = Vampy Nails! Mac Cosmetics VS Sally Hansen

I don't know about you but with Fall's arrival around the corner rich dark nails are probably what Ill be sporting and replacing my summer brights with.

Two shade that will go head to head for my attention because they are SO similar are Mac Cosmetics Vintage Vamp and Sally Hanson's Hard As Nails in Flirt.

As you can see they are really really similar so one could almost say the Sally Hansen (approx $4-$5) could act as a great dupe for the Mac polish ($15), and while I would agree they are not 100% alike. Just look at the stock photos, the SH polish is NOT that purple in real life.


I found Mac's Vintage Vamp more on the red brown side with no hint of shimmer while Sally Hansen's Flirt is more on the red purple side with the slightest fleck of shimmer that shows only in bright light.

See for yourself... Can you tell the difference?

Similar yes but I'll be rocking BOTH of these amazing vampy shades equally this fall ;)

At Home French Mani - What NOT To Do!

Do NOT apply 2 coats of a base colour, be impatient, apply french manicure strips, add white polish on tips and expect it to NOT come out like this! Notice the ripped up base coat? 

Instead, apply French Polish Guide Strips (I used the ones from Nailene) to either bare nails or on top of 1 thin coat of clear base coat. Give ample time to dry, then apply 1-2 THIN layers of white (or coloured) polish to tips. Wait till dry to peel strips off then apply your nude or neutral colour and top coat.

Here are the 3 polishes I used. Zoya's Snow White, OPI's Got A Date To-Knight and a Top Coat Plus from Nicole by OPI.

The final result after doing it right and taking my time......

Not quite salon quality, but for this self polishing, french manicuring newb... not half bad!!

The Finesse Hair Care Giveaway WINNER is...

Thank you to all 98 of you who entered the Finesse Giveaway. This winner has been drawn via random.org and is #16 windycindy !!!!

Congratulations you have won an amazing hair care set including a Shampoo, Conditioner & Hairspray from FINESSE!!

*Winner will be emailed today and have 48hrs to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

August Favourites - Beauty & Fragrance

Here are just some of the products Ive been using religiously this past month posing with my fav Mr Buddha :).

Lets start off with another almost empty jar of my beloved Vasanti Cosmetics Eye Wonder. Although this is just a August fav but it is an all time fav products that is just about to come to an end as August comes to and end! Luckily I have a backup waiting to be opened as soon as I run out!

Beside my Eye Wonder is my Vasanti FaceBase Foundation powder in V3. I've always been a fan of this product but had run out a while ago and only recently stocked up on it. Its been my go to powder for keeping the summer "shine" away!

Next up my amazing products from The Body Shop! An amazing matte bronzing powder in Light Matte and the Limited Collection for eyes collection with the packaging designed by the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion. This collection comes with 4 amazing matte shadows, an eye colour brush and a eye definer in Rich Brown.

I use the bronzing powder daily to warm up my face and to contour my cheek bones. I love it because for my skin tone its subtle, matte and does the job! The shadow palette has also become a daily use product for me, mostly the New Nude shade in the top left because I love bright nudes on my eye but the other 3 shades are so unique and pigmented as well.

A recent discovery and new love STILA! Why I hadn't tested out this line more I'll never know but now that I have wow. The new fall collection offers some amazing products and here are just 3 of my favs.

The Custom Color Self-Adjusting Blush in Coral has turned me from a bronzer only fan into a daily blush wearer! Its bright yes, you only need a light dab of the brush but when it goes on and self-adjusts its magic!

The stay all day waterproof brow color is actually pretty amazing. I received it as a sample to test and even though I got the "Light" shade which is supposed to be for blondes to light brunettes I find it still gives me enough fill for day time use. Not too heavy, just enough to fill in the gaps and last all day! Id love to get my hands on the darker shade to see what this baby is really made of.

If you want a rich brown liner that's super easy to use and glides on with ease then you are going to want to pick up Stila's Smudge stick waterproof eye liner in Damsel. Its twist up design make searching for a sharpener a thing of the past and I love that I'm able to get really close to my lash line and create a nice deep rich brown line with just one swipe. Love!

Other Items I'm Loving (pictured above):

Mary Kay's "Forever Orchid" Eau De Toilette 

Annabelle Cosmetics Smudgeliner in Oh My Goth!

Vasanti Cosmetics Liquid Cover Up in V3 (my holy grail!)

Loreal's Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

So there you have it my August Favourites! 

What are some of your favourite products that you have been using this past month??

Yes or No to Lip Liner?

I've never been a huge fan of lip liner on myself or on my clients. Although I think its a must for a sharp red or deeply coloured lip, for most of my bridal clients I prefer a lip stain, layered with lipstick and gloss for a more natural, soft and pretty look.

When a client once asked me for a dark lip liner to outline the soft pink lips I had just applied I was a surprised. For some reason I just assumed (I should never assume!) lip liners weren't commonly
 anymore, especially to add a dark outline to the lips.

It did however make me think, and so I want to know..... Are you a lip liner fan?
Is it part of your daily routine?
Makeup artists, do you use them on every client?

WIN Shampoo, Conditioner & Hairspray from FINESSE

Ahhh Finesse... I remember you from when I was a young teen, WAY back when. You were good to me then and after seeing your New Clean & Simple line I wondered if you would be good to me now.

Well, you did not disappoint!

I started with the Hypoallergenic Shampoo for dry hair, which came out clear... I gave you points instantly for not adding un-natural colour, then came the Condition also for my poor dry hair. I let you sit and you worked your magic.

As I finished blow drying I noticed my hair felt soft and THICK... it had been a while since I last felt that so thank you Finesse for giving me my sexy (hair) back!!!

Sincerely
Thick Haired Gal Once Again

Finesse Clean & Simple line can be found in Canada at Loblaws, Wal-Mart and Zellers for $5.99

Do you want to bring your sexy (hair) back?

How you can win (mandatory):

• Tell us in the comments why you want to win this amazing Finesse trio!
• Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you are the winner.

Bonus Entries: 

• Be a FacesByFarah.com GFC Blog Follower (1 entry)
• Follow FacesByFarah on Twitter (1 entry)
• "Like" FacesByFarah on Facebook (1 entry)
• Subscribe via email to the Faces By Farah Blog (top right of site) (1 entry)
• Blog, Tweet or Facebook about this giveaway and comment with the link (1 entry)
• You MUST leave a separate comment for each entry letting us know you have followed and where or it wont count.

Details:

• Open to Canadian Residents Only 
• Contest closes at 11:59pm on Aug 31st 2011 & winner will be chosen at random & announced soon after
• Winner will be contacted via email and have 48hrs to respond or a new winner will be drawn

Good luck!

WIN A Golden Ticket To The ShesConnected Conference!

Right on the heels of BlogHer comes one of this cities biggest and best conference!

This September 29th and 30th the 2nd Annual ShesConnected Conference will be held in Toronto.

I have been lucky enough to be one of the digital women chosen to attend and with the first 200 free spots being "by selection only" spots for this event are in high demand.

Well Ive got good news! Now you can WIN a ticket to the conference courtesy of Faces By Farah and ShesConnected by simply clicking the image below and telling us why you want to attend!


Ready, Set, GO!!

Check out my bobble head LOL love it!

*Giveaway is for ticket only. All other expenses (airfare, hotel, etc) are to be paid by the winner.

Coleslaw Poppyseed Summer Salad Recipe

In the last few months with the wedding coming up, Ive had to come up with some creative ways to eat healthy and still keeping my taste buds happy. Here is one of my favorite summer salads I created that has made its way into my regular lunch rotation.

Here's what you will need to create this salad:

• Dole Colourful or Classic Coleslaw Salad
• Imitation Flaked Crab Meat
• Walnut pieces
• Dried Cranberries

Top it off with RENÉE'S® POPPY SEED ½ FAT DRESSING

It tastes amazing, is filling and makes eating healthy less boring ;)

Try it and let me know what you think!

San Diego + Bloggers + BlogHer

This time last week I was basking in the perfect San Diego sun, walking, socializing and laughing with other like minded blogging women. It was my first time in San Diego and everyone I met felt the same way about the city... it was beautiful, clean and had the most ideal weather one could imagine {at least for the 5 days we were there!}.

As my previous post suggests this was my first time at BlogHer and going with the flow is the approach I took while there. Thursday night my amazing blogging buddies Lena, Tammi and myself went to the much talked about, invite only Mom Central Canadians party which was held on a rooftop patio of a nearby hotel.

This is where I saw one of my fav people Erica Ehm of YummyMummyClub.com. We chatted about her site and mine, our fav Vasanti products and how excited we were to be there. I also happen to see Lisa from HipUrbanGirl.com who always makes me smile with her bubbly self and a girl I had "heard" about in the blogging world way back in '05 but had never actually had the pleasure of meeting until that night Raymi from RaymiTheMinx.com who is just the most interesting, sweetest ball of fun!

The next morning was all about the BlogHer'11 expo hall aka swag hall! I will admit while half the booths were geared towards mommy bloggers or those that are at least moms I did happen to find my way to the Dove Chocolate booth where I sampled their new mini ice cream bars yum yum! We loaded up with bags that contained everything from toys to tupperware to vibrators {yes, I kid you not! With 3000 women at the conference I suppose it makes sense lol}

{Thank you Tammi for being our official photog!}

We took advantage of the photobooths and costumes!

Thanks T-Mobile for those flying monkey toys, my fiance has enjoyed hours of fun flying that thing from one end of our house to the other and laughing at the noise it makes!

At this point we quickly realized that comfy shoes were the way to go, so out went those cutesy ones and on came the flip flops! We walked and we walked and it eventually landed us at a great Mexican restaurant where under Lena's guidance we all had fish tacos, a first for me but I will tell you they did not disappoint!

While our days were spent networking, walking, and taking in the conference while our nights were spent party hoping, dancing and laughing!

 On our way to the SoftCup party hosted by Mario Lopez {whom we later met} in our pedi-cab.

Ill never forget waiting for Mr.Dimples himself to arrive with new pals Steph and Shelagh, sippin on coconut cocktails and talking about how great of a fit he was for the party we were at lol.

It was a fabulous weekend spent with fabulous people in one fabulous city! If you haven't had a chance to go to San Diego I would say GO! It was so pretty I'm actually thinking about working it in as a stop on our honeymoon!

I  loved my BlogHer experience so much that I'm entering this post into the Go Girlfriend contest to win a ticket to Blissdom Canada so I can not only see these {and more} amazing women again but also do it on my home turf!

The Nail Polish Canada 7pc Polish Set Winner is...

Thank you to all 182 of your who entered!

We have a winner using Random.org which drew #173 Congratulations to Anne-Marie T!!!

You have won your choice of either The Color Club Collection or the Pardon My French Collection!!

*Winner will be emailed today and have 48hrs to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

Back from BlogHer11 With Tips!

It's back to reality now after 5 days in the beautiful San Diego where I and 3000 other blogging babes attended the BlogHer11 Conference.

It was my first time attending BlogHer and going in I had no idea what to expect which is why I can now look back and give all of you thinking of attending BlogHer12 {in NYC} some tips on how to survive the weekend!

Ready? Here we go!

- Bring walking shoes because you WILL be doing lots of it

- Don't bring your 4", I cant walk in these but they look damn good heels because you wont need them

- Bring a cardigan or long sleeve top for the conference hall because the AC may give you the chills

- Business cards are a must!.... lots and lots of them!

- When someone hands you their business card jot down on the back where you met them because you will be meeting a lot of ladies and its easy to forget.

- Don't worry so much about if your hair is perfect or you have the best outfit on because 9 times out of 10 no one cares, they are just happy to meet you!

- Talk to any and everyone you meet, BlogHer is not for the shy ;)

- Don't judge someone before meeting them because they could end up being the sweetest and most interesting people you will meet all weekend!

- Attend as many parties as you can because they are not only fun but a great way to meet new people

{CheeseBurgHer BlogHer Party sponsored by yes McDonalds}

- The swag isn't why you should attend BlogHer!

- Speaking of swag, bring a large suitcase to take it home in but don't get panicked when you cant fit it all in. Do you really need that loaf of bread, water bottle, jelly bracelet or magnet?

- Organizing a dinner or lunch with some of the bloggers you want to meet ahead of time is a great way to ensure you end up actually meeting them!

- View the BlogHer sessions calendar and decide which ones interest you most or at all. There is nothing wrong with attending BlogHer to network and socialize, you don't need to attend every session offered.

- Take advantage of the breakfast and lunch offered in the conference hall. They are yummy and will help keep your costs down

- Don't take things to personal or seriously. Remember everyone is there to in a way sell/promote themselves so know when to pipe up or when to back off.

- Give yourself credit. Don't assume no ones ever heard of you or your blog because trust me they have!

- Smile. It will get you noticed ;)

These are just some of the things I took away from my experience at BlogHer11. It was a last minute decision ill remember forever!

Oh and don't forget your sunglasses, but if you do there might be a hot pink rad pair in your swag bag that you can rock all weekend like me ;)

What's In My BlogHer11 Beauty Bag!

I leave for BlogHer'11 tomorrow and I thought I would show you all what I'll be packing in my beauty bag for the conference.

My Sponsor this year is Vasanti Cosmetics (one of my fav brands!) and since I use their makeup daily I will be taking all my Vasanti fav's with me.

1. Long Lash Mascara
I love this mascara because it works wonders! It gives me both volume and length and leaves my lashes soft to the touch which means bye bye mascara flakes on my cheeks in the middle of the day!

2. Eye Wonder Triple Action Peptide Eyecream
Anyone who's used this cream knows how amazing it is and for those of you who haven't yet tried this (what are you waiting for?!) this eye cream is SO good that I actually use it all over my face! Its super hydrating and works its magic on my fine lines, dark circles and all the puffiness ill have from a weekend of partying with other bloggers!

3. Silky Eyeshadow Duos in Mount Rushmore & Statue of Liberty
These duo's are fabulous for travel! I can create all the day and evening looks I'll need with these 4 shades. They are crease resistant and long wearing which is key because the days will be long and I can even use the deep purple as a liner ;)

4. BrightenUp! - Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator
I use this gentle exfoliant daily with my Eye Wonder. The 2 are a pair I refuse to break up for anything!!

5. Conquer 3-in-1 Lip Treatment
I go through these so fast I'm constantly stocking up because not only is it one amazing lip balm that I apply 10x a day and before bed but it treats my lips as well which means that my usually dry lips will be fully hydrated even through a 7+ hr flight!

6. Micronized Silky Blush in Rockies
This shade has quickly become a summer fav for me. Its peachy/pink tone looks amazing on my skin and blends like a dream.

Extras...

Although these are my staples, in thinking about it there are a few other Vasanti items I simply cant bring myself to leave behind SO I'll also be sneaking in my Denmark Lipstick, Cairo Eyeshadow & Brazilian Bronzer!

I'm really excited to be heading to my first major blogging conference. If you are also going and want to know more about Vasanti Cosmetics or just want to say hello Id love to meet you.

For the rest of my amazing readers don't forget to follow me via Twitter @FacesByFarah to see all my live tweets while I'm in San Diego!

The BIC Soleil Winner Is....

Thank you to all 143 of you who entered the Bic Soleil giveaway to win a years worth of razors.

Using Random.org the winner is # 136 Congratulations ksceviour you will be hair free for a very long time!!

  *Winner will be emailed today and have 48hrs to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

The Vitaphenol Giveaway Winner is....

Thank you to all 237 of your who entered!

We have a winner using Random.org which drew #24 Congratulations to Bee W Bedard!!!

You have won the Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, Anti-Aging Toner, Daily Fortified Moisturizer PLUS a Bonus, their Cellustructure Rejuvenating Serum !

*Winner will be emailed today and have 48hrs to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.