She’s only 24, but consistently appears older than she is and I believe I’ve clapped down the reason for many of her aged looks – that damn lipstick and oftentimes the heavy eye.  Girl needs to lighten up with the cosmetics!

I’m having a hell of a time finding a photo of her with lighter makeup on lips and eyes, but I’ve finally done it! See how much more flattering a lighter lip and naked eyes are on her features? Damn, what a difference.

Last night was my first ever usage of a MyFaceWorks product, and while I’d heard people’s ‘ohmygawd I love that product’ confessionals, I’m not one to believe idle internet chatter.

Last night I peeled the I Need A Clear Day mask out of its package, and applied it to my face.  After getting over the ‘I look like Hannibal Lecter’ hump, I set my timer for 20 minutes and continued about my evening amusements.

The smell of the mask was immediately noticeable; it was moderate, yet was a pleasant scent.  You could pick up different notes of ingredients, yet it wasn’t pungent or unpleasant.  As minutes passed, I could feel a delightful cooling of my skin and a light softening.  After the full 20 had passed, I peeled off the mask and wiped any excess drip over my face to prevent wastage.

It was when I woke up the next morning that I had a pleasant surprise; my skin had visibly calmed from the day before.  My face’s epidermis is historically a fit thrower; it’s prone to dryness, oiliness and acne, and typically never feels calmed.  When I woke, redness was noticeably reduced, and my skin still felt softer – it was brilliant!

I can solidly recommend this product for both men and women; there is nothing that gender flags this product for use by ladies only.  As men with problem skin [typically] do not wear makeup, products like this that create a visible difference overnight can be just what one needs to begin damage repair.

Verdict: I can’t wait to try the rest of the MyFaceWorks collection.

Thin eyebrows should have gone the way of lip liner – gone a long time ago.  If you think of the women you see with the most lust worthy brow action, you see some of the most beautiful faces of our age – Jennifer Connelly, Natalia Vodianova, tween queen Camilla Belle (who is totally channeling the Brooke Shields brows from ’1980).  These are all women of varying ages, yet they all have the same youthful radiance and rather intense brows.

This does not mean that your thickies should remain untamed; quite the opposite.  Thick brows must be shaped (ideally by a professional), and trimmed for hair length at certain hot spots.  While models may be high tailing it down the runway in brows that look like flames licking their forehead, it’s certainly not a look one wants IRL.

I recently had my brows done up by Bombay Brow Bar; if you’re in Vancouver and are keen on threading, these ladies can do a mean brow shape! Keep your sizeable brows groomed and you will look magnificent – no chance of looking chubby faced or stretched too thinly!

Check out the image of the face map below; there are 14 areas of skin on your face, 14 areas in which you could have trouble that may require different treatment.  One of the items which I took for granted was that not all of your face requires the same treatment; for instance, one area may be oily and another be dry.  Those with acne-prone or oily skin know that treatment for those symptoms tend to be drying  – precisely the opposite of what dry skin requires.

Dermalogica’s face map takes an in depth look at those 14 areas and diagnoses what (if any) attention is needed at each of those areas.  While the face map takes place, you are also provided with recommended products from 8 product systems - AGE smart (anti-aging), UltraCalming (calms irritation), mediBac Clearing (for acne prone skin) and ChromaWhite TRX (skin brightening) to name a few of the major players.

For each of your areas, you are given a list (which thankfully includes an image of the face and its 14 areas) of products, and an area for the dermatologist to write which area (1, 2 and 3 for example).  For instance, I was suggested a moisturizing area for 1 and 3, while I needed a few products from the UltraCalming for 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 12.  Bear in mind, this is a very basic rendition of our discussion; I was also educated on product layering for proper skin treatment.

Even if you think you know what’s going on with your face, come in and have your own face mapped.. it’s worth the time spent and is quite educational.  There are so many products in the Dermalogica family, it’s overwhelming to explore without some understanding of the systems and what each one can do for you.  Trust me, it’s a talk you’re going to be glad you had.

If you were thinking these would be perfect for a Lady Gaga (or similar) costume, you would be correct. While she hasn’t been reported to wear the Ting Yu Wang designed paper lashes, the extraordinary appearance and effect would be right on target.

Vancouverites are incredibly lucky that Noir Lash Lounge is offering service to work with these pieces, which retail affordably at $21 – $23 CA per pair.  If you’re not in YVR, check your local lash boutiques and see if they’re offering paper lash treatments.. let’s hope so!

One does have to wonder what The Gaga will design her smell around, because it’s doubtful Coty would want to smell like a post coital crotch.  We’ll have to wait till 2012 to smell this stuff, though.. the suspense!

As a bonus, you’ll be getting a free gift with a Bombshell Brow session.. all unibrows and overwaxers need stop by! Yes, even the boys.. this event is not gender specific.

The event is being held at Noir’s South Granville location [Googlemap], so be there on the 18th or be incredibly dowdy in fall (cue screams)

WHEN: Wednesday, September 1 from 6 – 8PM
WHERE: Zinc Salon [Googlemap]
WHY: 50% off treatment coupon, information session and meet the rad folks at Zinc! I’ve only let them touch my hair for the last 2 years, so they’re worth a gander.

Call Natasha or Dawn [at 604-874-2800] to RSVP, and check out the event on Crackbook.

They’re still donating the projected proceeds from the sales of the Rodarte collection to the women of Juárez (a charity has not been chosen as of yet), though for an unknown reason they feel this uproar was a deal breaker for the collection sale.

Yeah, M.A.C. could have been more sensitive.  Sure, these things could have been thought out before release and definitely avoided, but the bottom line is M.A.C. could have rebounded from this slip quite easily with half an effort.

Selfridges created a gallows where a McQueen creation hung only days after his passing [from hanging] and Barneys featured a bloody shooting display, but they didn’t close up shop – they met the public’s disdain head on, and continued to run their business.

At the end of the day, because the public wasn’t handled with their usual kid gloves, M.A.C.’s complete Rodarte campaign has gone down the toilet.

We know that greige is still enjoying its status of color of the moment, and Lippmann’s Vegas color offers a bit of trend and star quality.  After all, it’s been on Gaga’s fingernails while she channeled a greying ’60s bombshell – that’s pretty awesome.

Greige can’t be for everyone, so there is a new color for the rest who prefer colors - Bad Romance ($18), a glitterly blackened fuchsia named after Gaga’s eponymous song.