How to Rock the Draping Trend Without Looking Like an 80's Diva

I've been pretty intrigued by the 'draping' blush trend after seeing it on a number of Spring/Summer runways. I will start by prefacing that I really strongly dislike 80's fashion and beauty, so when I first saw this 80's blush trend making a resurgence, I wasn't exactly keen on giving it a try. After all, it didn't seem like a super wearable trend for everyday people. That being said, today I thought I would show you a more natural-looking way to channel this trend into your Spring beauty, using cream blush! I really love the look of this toned-down version, as I think it gives your complexion a beautiful naturally-flushed look. Keep reading to see how it's done!

For starters, I like to use a cream blush for this look. A powder blush can definitely work for the draping trend too, but cream blush is easiest to re-create this flushed look. If you're looking for a specific recommendation, I love this Coral Reef shade in Revlon's Cream Blush. For summer especially, I really like the look of coral blushes.

Step 1: Pick up some pigment

Use your index finger to swirl some product. You can always start small, and pick up more cream blush with your finger if you feel like it's not enough. Remember: it's easier to apply more than take it away once it's applied! It's best to do this, especially if you're not sure how pigmented your blush is.

Step 2: Start dabbing!

Start from the apple of your cheek and work your way up to your temple, dabbing along in a C-like shape. Very similar to the C you create when you're contouring! In fact, 'draping' has been called the new contour.

Here's what it looks like after I've dabbed from the apples of my cheeks up to my temple, before blending. You can see the 'C' shape.

Step 3: Blend Away

Blend in the blush, dabbing and using small circular motions. Take a look in the mirror once finished, and see if you need to blend more. In my case, I ended up going back a few times to dab on more product and blend again.

The result: a natural-looking flush that extends beyond your cheeks, up the sides of the face!

Blush - Revlon Cream Blush in Coral Reef

Happy Draping! xo

~ Britta

Vancouver Fashion Week: Beauty Preview with Covergirl, Pantene & Olay

Vancouver Fashion Week kicked off last week with a special Beauty Preview for media, hosted by P&G's beauty brands Covergirl, Pantene & Olay. SALT Tasting room made for the perfect space to host the beauty chat, complete with tasty snacks and drinks. P&G Communications Manager Manon Lapierre happily introduced to the talents that would be the backstage beauty pros at Vancouver Fashion Week, Amélie DuCharme and Justin German. Amélie and Justin gave us the run-down on the trends we can expect to see for Spring/Summer 2015.

Not surprising, pastel pinks will be a big part of makeup looks for SS2015, but we can also expect to see eyes with a purple haze as well. Ducharme recommends using Covergirl Bombshell Shineshadows for a soft, pastel effect. For lips, her go-to is Covergirl Lip Perfection lipsticks, which just happen to be my favourite too! I've been in love with Euphoria and Divine since last season, so I'm looking forward to giving their lighter shades a try for spring. They really are long lasting, which is always one of my main criteria!

I was more than excited to hear that the 'silver screen' look, featuring old-school glamour waves will be back in full force for spring/summer 2015. And for the more everyday hairstyle, German showed us some loose braids with a slightly 'undone' look that are easy enough to recreate. One of the most interesting new trends? Mousse is back! The previously 90's trend is the perfect tool for adding some sheen to your look, especially if you want to give the appearance of wet, sleek hair. Pantene's Pro-V Stylers Mousse is the one item you should be adding to your hair routine for spring!

You can find all the products used to create the looks on the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week last week at London Drugs!

P&G Communications Manager, Manon Lapierre

Covergirl makeup pro Amélie DuCharme shows us the top looks for spring

Pantene hairstylist pro Justin DuCharme shows us sleek chignons for spring 2015

German demonstrating an easy braid on Alicia of Alicia Fashionista

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Look of the Week: Polka Dots and Yellow Heels

 Last week I was given the opportunity to attend a meet & greet  with local beauty Jessica Kruger at London Drugs Coquitlam, who for the last year has been the brand ambassador for Lise Watier's fragrance Something Sweet.

A Burnaby native and all-around fantastic woman, Jessica is not only raising awareness about the capabilities of quadriplegics, but is inspiring others that beauty is something everyone has. "Beauty isn't something people can tell you you have; it comes from within. No one but you tells you if you're beautiful or not." Jessica explained during her Q&A. We've heard people say many times that beauty comes from within, but I am particularly fond of the way Jessica sees it. She truly is a beautiful woman who is wise beyond her years.

The fragrance itself is just as sweet as Jessica. She listed off the combined scents: champagne, chocolate mousse. rainbow sorbet, raspberry, and accents of melon. She had me at 'champagne'! It is delectably sweet, indeed.

And to end of the event, the make-up artists of Lise Watier tried out their brand new eye shadow palette and fabulous matte lipstick out on me...and I must say the pops of colour were extremely welcome on the rainy day that it was! The eye shadow palette has a nice mix of bright colours and more subtle tones, which work well for toning down or amping up a look for day/night. The final look is at the very end of the post. To try out the look yourself, find Lise Watier products at your local London Drugs beauty counter!

Jacket-Zara(thrifted), Shirt-Suzy Shier, Necklace-Stella&Dot, Purse-Forever21, Jeans-Parasuco(via Winners), Shoes-Aldo(thrifted)

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta