As a makeup artist, more often than not, a lot of my clients are not too happy about how they look. I believe that inner beauty is reflected in the outside appearance. At the same time, as a psych graduate, I also believed that how you feel about your physical appearance can affect how you are inside.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL THE WAY YOU ARE. If one day, you ever feel that you are not, please feel free to email me at jilly.ijoe@gmail.com and I’m more than willing to listen to your rants and chat with you. I’m not here to judge you, I’m here to lend a helping hand (or ear).

I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. If there comes a day, where someone teases you because of how you look, or you feel that no one loves you, please email me and I’m more than happy to let you know that I LOVE YOU!

I know how it feels to be the ugly duckling. I know how it feels to feel unloved and unwanted. I come from a society where I was told that I’m fat and ugly, and that nobody would want to be with me. There’s a lot of negative energy poured onto my thoughts and overtime, I started to believe in it. I started to believe that I am ugly and fat, and that no one will love me. But, you know what, THEY ARE WRONG

I’m not ugly, nor fat! I’m healthy and I know I can look good if I try hard enough. Of course nobody will love me if I’m always gloomy and sad, and indulge in self pity. How can you love others, if you don’t love yourself? How can others love you, if you don’t love them?

I know some of you have used makeup to feel good about yourself, to make yourself look prettier. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL THE WAY YOU ARE. Makeup is a TOOL to ENHANCE what you ALREADY HAVE.

Now, DATES/PARTNERS/HUSBANDS/BOYFRIENDS, if your ladies are taking a little bit longer to prep themselves so that they can look good, please shower them with appreciation. Tell them that they look absolutely beautiful, let them know that it was worth the wait! Don’t be mad at them for making you wait, be happy that they are taking care of themselves and look absolutely gorgeous.

But of course, ladies, if you know you’ll be taking 30min or 1hr to get ready, please get ready earlier so that they don’t have to wait too long for you. Let them know that you appreciate them for the wait, and apologize if you take longer than 5-10min.

I hope this little post will help some of you to feel good about yourselves. I don’t want to get into too much details about exercising or diet since I’m not an expert in that fields. Remember, YOUR BEAUTY IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT IS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

July has been dubbed The American Cancer Society’s “UV Safety Month.” Since beach weather (thankfully) doesn’t wait until July, you should know that you can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to a golden glow without the risks.

We all know by now that we need SPF, and with many makeup and face creams including at least SPF 15 already built in, that’s already a step in the right direction for many of us.  I actually took a look around on my last shopping trip, and realized that it was almost harder to specifically find foundation or tinted moisturizer containing zero sun protection.

Now, if you are not one to wear makeup to the beach or say, for an outdoor jog, you really must get familiar with a good facial sun block in addition to one for body. Alba Botanica’s sun care line is a great choice for both, offering non-chemical protection up to SPF 45, and is loved by shoppers who choose natural products either for green reasons or skin sensitivity issues.

So what about the newer SPF 90+ lotions out there? While those with very fair, sun sensitive skin may want/need to go high with SPF, Dr. Edward Lack (Chicago rhinoplasty, dermatology) warns that this can become more of a marketing gimmick to make you feel like you need a higher and higher number whenever its available. Reapplying to keep that protection barrier on your skin strong is key, and will do a much better job than applying an extremely high SPF once and allowing it to wear off.

“Ideally you put on sunscreen an hour before going outside, then reapply it just before exposure. If you will maintain direct exposure as on the golf course or on a boat put the sunscreen on again every 2 hours,” Dr. Lack advises as a general rule.

Now that you are refreshed on staying adequately protected, we mustn’t forget the sunless tanner. If you’re a recovering sunbathing addict and haven’t tried one yet, now is the time; and sticking to some cult favorites will ensure a seamless transition into a faux glow with no looking back. Lavera‘s sunless lotion is THE organic choice, while the entire Clarins‘ line is highly recommendable- a favorite being the Self Tanning Instant Gel for a fast dash of color with no mess as you walk out the door in the morning. What’s not to love?

Written by Joseph Snyder, on behalf of MetropolitanMD, a Chicago liposuction, facial rejuvenation, and cosmetic surgery center.

Anyhow..There’s been a lot of requests for hair and nail tutorials…Let me clarify: I am NOT a hairstylist nor a nail artist. My opinions or the way I do hair/nails probably will differ than hairstylist/nail artists. I will eventually post those hair and nail tutorials. As of now, I’m trying to figure out what’s the best way to post those tutorials.

I’ve also been requested to do video tutorials. I think I might eventually do video tutorials. I’m looking around for video cams and also, I’m trying to move stuffs around my room right now so I can have a corner just to do hair/makeup/nails with a good background and lightings.

The reasons why I do photos tutorial instead of videos:

1) I’ve an accent and I’m very very very conscious about my accent. My first language is not English. I started speaking English when I was 12-year-old, and if you guys are of psychology major, you know that majority of kids who learn other languages after the age of 12 will have an accent. But, anyhow, probably I’ll get over it! lol..you see, I’m one of those people who can get embarrassed hearing/seeing myself in a video.

2) With photos, I don’t have to worry about zooming in or out, and if I make a mistake, people won’t know! LOL..=P

Anyhow..so, in the near future, expect to see a video on the website..lol..I don’t know if I want to go on youtube. WordPress have its own wordpress tv which allow for video to be uploaded here. So, may be I’ll do that.

Please be patient with me! =D..

xoxo

For every completed survey we receive, Matchstick will make a $2 donation to The Redwood, a family support shelter that offers assistant to those less fortunate (www.theredwood.com).

This is for a great cause, please help support them!

Shannae Ingleton and What Women Want, her fashion forward league of extraordinary females, are back at it again – as are Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha, four lovely ladies we could only hope to see again. Celebrate the second coming of Sex, at the official Sex and the City 2 “Carrie On” event, an exclusive party presented by What Women Want. Ladies, it’s time to “Wine, Dine and Date… in a Dress”, Sex and the City style! And when we say “Date” we mean, ladies can bring a single male “date” free, so that men can party with a bevy of beauties and the ladies know that all the men in attendance are “Single in The City”
The glamorous event unfolds on the evening of May 27th, 8 PM at Toronto’s 99 Sudbury, which is located in the heart of Queen & King St. West. Their newly renovated 30,000 sq. foot venue features a chic, modern space within a classic studio-style atmosphere, a perfect salute to New York City cool.

In celebration of the sequel and its tremendous influence beyond the silver screen, the evening will feature complimentary Sex and the City “Carrie” Cosmos and over 20 Sex and the City themed vendors. Among them, the sultry latin flavours of DP Design Swimwear by Paula and D, the urban romanticism of Melissa Clemente Designs, and Luxury Designer Consignment by Fashionably Yours.

Adjoa Duncan’s Pretty Sweet Custom Cake Creations will be providing tasty, stylish treats, and raffling off a Sex and the City themed cake to one lucky winner.The Red Carpet Room, Canada’s Exclusive Style Showroom, is the official event “outfitter” and will be happy to outfit, vips and special guests for this luxe event http://theredcarpetroom.com/. And the cherry on top is that Selective Search Inc will be giving one lucky lady a date with the Ultimate bachelor.

Tickets are now available at http://sjpyyz.eventbrite.com/. Ticket includes admission, a Cineplex Odeon movie pass, a complimentary “Carrie Cosmo”, a swagbag with generous gifts from our fragrance, beauty and beverage sponsors. For further details visit What Women Want’s official page at http://ilovewhatwomenwant.com/.

It’s been two years and too many martinis. So get ready to celebrate Sex and the City 2 “Carrie On” because just when you thought you saw it all, you really haven’t seen anything yet. Sometimes you just have to get away with the girls!

RSVP on Facebook!

If you’re interested in learning more about Autism, please check http://autism.com/autism/index.htm

Two Choices

Would you make the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its

dedicated staff, he offered a question:

‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

The audience was stilled by the query..

The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.’

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the

plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact…

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to first!

Run to first!’

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay’

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, ‘Run to third!

Shay, run to third!’

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

‘That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, ‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world’.

Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

When the sun finally begins to warm our faces again, and the world slowly looks a little greener, we always feel the need to freshen up our looks a bit. In an enthusiastic hurry to apply this season’s bright makeup colors, we may forget to stop and realize that the most important step is good skincare for a clean, smooth base. After the cold wind, dry heating systems, and dark days are done with our faces, most of us go into springtime looking a little dull.

To bring your face back to life, there are some basics that always help whether you’re at a spa or your bathroom sink. Firstly, be sure to exfoliate: it can be as simple as adding salt (for oily skin) or sugar (for dry skin) to your face wash or buying one with exfoliating beads in it. It always helps to add a product with something like fruit enzymes or hydroxy acids into your regimen for added results. Going to get microdermabrasion at a local spa is a great choice for deep exfoliation that will be noticed right away. Any of these options will reveal fresh skin that is glowing and smooth.

Second, you need to continuously moisturize to have skin perfect for makeup application. If you’re getting a facial at a spa, that’s great because they will both exfoliate and moisture your skin while you’re there. At home, be sure you’re using a formula appropriate for your skin type, like a gel for oily skin, a thicker cream for dry, or something in between. Some of the face lotions with radiance/skin brightening ingredients are perfect for dewy spring skin, and are a nice boost for any look.

If we just take a little extra care in reviving skin at this time of year, the reward will be a complexion that’s more awake and well-textured. Your face will look flawless all season long!

Content provided by Sarah Logan on behalf of Aesthetic Science Institute (ASI). ASI is a beauty school for new students interested in a career in aesthetics and licensed aestheticians interested in advanced aesthetics training and certification.

Plaid Magazine is about incorporating interesting interviews and well written articles with great photo shoots, illustrations, music, artistic collaborations and more. I wanted to make a magazine that spoke to my generation; we’re not all millionaires, and we have different ways of spending our time, and like a mixture of different aesthetics. I think you can dress one way and still appreciate other artistic visions, and that’s what I want to present with Plaid. It’s also important for me to have it be for everyone, as so much about fashion and art is about being diverse and exploring androgyny.

We’re just finishing our first month online but have already received an incredibly positive response from readers and clients – in Toronto and internationally! In the next few months, expect more interaction with the site, and many more amazing stories featuring local and international talent! I’m so glad to have start this when technology allows us to present ideas in so many different ways; and I’m also excited to produce our first print issue, as I really do feel like there’s still a place for the tangible object of a magazine.

For spring 2010, I’m loving a bold matte lip, like the one we had in our Head & Shoulders story. It’s hard to pull off, but it really makes an outfit look polished instantly. We’re also putting together a story featuring bright, metallic eyes; I’m really liking a red eye this season. I have Emanuelle by NARS, and on the few occasions when I wear eye make-up, I’ll blend it over a more subtle white/gold shadow to get a really futuristic but still chic effect. Also, I think the fake tattoo trend is pretty cool – I love that make-up artists and manufacturers are picking up where McQueen left us, and pushing the boundaries of conventional beauty, and what it means to wear “make-up” and adorn yourself.

Fashion week in Toronto is always a pretty subdued affair, but I thought Sabrina Rinaldi’s make-up for the NADA presentation was awesome! It really completed the glamazon, warrior woman Nada Sheppard had created for her collection’s presentation. Kenji Sato’s tattoo work and roughed up make-up for the Ezra Constantine show was cool too – very edgy for this city. It really suited the clothes, too.

No description under each photos, but ENJOY, cause I ENJOYED IT A LOT! LOL

I’ll be posting tutorial using these products tonight, hopefully, if I don’t get too busy doing other stuffs.

So, I received the ENTIRE collection of Maybelline Eye Studio. This includes: a makeup kit, 4 mascaras, 4 gel eyeliners, 10 baked mineral eyeshadows and 12 quad eyeshadows..<3 <3 <3