In defense of Angelina Jolie's breasts

On Tuesday, the New York Times published an op-ed piece about breast cancer, written by one of the most famous, and famously beautiful women in the world.

If you haven't read the article, I highly recommend that you do. It can be found here.

If you have read the article, try reading it again.

Try reading the article (for the first time or for the second or third time) as if you don't recognize the name of the authour. Try to imagine that it was written by your girlfriend or your mother. Or your sister, your aunt, a coworker.

Chances are when you read it you already had an opinion in your head about who the authour is. I bet some or all of the following words flutter through your head when you hear the name Angelina Jolie...

actress

celebrity

famous

beautiful

sexy

Brad Pitt

rich

glamourous

movie star

That's what happens in our celebrity-obsessed culture. We immediately picture a photo or a movie scene of Angelina Jolie, the actress, style icon and movie star. This reaction may have led you to read the article with more sympathy or with more detachment. Maybe both. But would you have read it at all if it been written by someone whose name or face you didn't recognize? If it had been written by some other woman, some other mother, partner, daughter, friend, colleague?

Since the news broke Tuesday morning that one of the most famous women in the world had undergone a double mastectomy to minimize the substantial risk she was in to develop cancer, the disease that had taken her mother a few years ago, I've heard lots of discussion about it. Coworkers reacting with shock, strangers on public transit talking about what they would do if they discovered they had an 87% chance of developing cancer. Many people are praising Jolie for speaking out, but there are some, mostly online who are reacting with great deal of blasé and some with callousness and some with criticism.

The criticism that I've seen is mostly that she is speaking from a place of privilege and that encouraging women to do what she did - give themselves options by being checked for the rare gene she carries that makes her at higher risk of developing cancer - is ignorant since many women in the U.S. cannot afford to pay for this screening or even have access to it. There is relevance to this criticism - it is true she's speaking from a place of great privilege - but she does acknowledge this in her article:

"Breast cancer alone kills some 458,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organization, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women."

More awareness means that more people will speak out and that can spark change. Let's hope that it does.

Some have also criticized Jolie for not doing more than just writing an op-ed piece in the New York Times, suggesting that what she has done, opening up about her decision, honestly and bravely, was not enough. That her article has sparked as much discussion as it has is powerful. Like it or not, her status as a celebrity means more people will listen and talk about it than most anyone else. It's so easy to criticize, especially online, where there's a level of anonymity and reaction is easy to deflect.

Others have criticized her in a manner that suggests that her body is not her own to do with as she chooses. That her decision to share her story was narcissistic. This incredibly offensive and ignorant suggestion is understandably partly because she is a public figure and her body belongs to the public, at least on a visual level. Which would explain the ignorant comments from men who lament that they never will get to touch Angelina's breasts now. 

The first reaction to the New York Times piece sadly was from a female radio DJ who tweeted the link to the story along with "Angelina's double mastectomy/secret boob job". To suggest that Jolie had gotten a boob job and is crying "breast cancer" and "double mastectomy". This is appalling. APPALLING.

This woman. This beautiful woman, who is photographed everywhere she goes, whose appearance is scrutinized and analyzed at every moment, opted to have her breasts removed and reconstructed. She has told the world about it. Because this went beyond vanity, this was about using her power as a celebrity to create awareness.

Let's talk about having a mastectomy or a double mastectomy. Let's talk about breasts. Breasts are the symbol of feminine sexuality, femininity, motherhood. Breasts have power, they get attention. Breasts on the red carpet are currency. For Jolie to chose to have her breasts removed was not a discussion she took lightly. For her, a symbol of sexuality and femininity, this was most definitely not an easy decision. 

It's not easy to not criticize a celebrity. It's easy to forget that they're not real people.

Writing that article was not necessary for her to do. She did that not to get publicity for herself, though certainly there are now paparazzi clamouring to get the first photos of her new chest. She wanted to talk about her situation, share her story, in the hopes it might help others. And despite the nasty talk, I think it will. 

Style War: Christina Aguilera VS Shakira on The Voice

The Voice, the reality show where contestants sing for four celebrity coaches who cannot see them, and if chosen, get a spot on one of the four coaches' teams. The contestants are coached and mentored the performers and each week performers

 

I've watched most of the audition episodes of The Voice all three seasons now, and can't help but draw a comparison between the styling of the female judges (Christina Aguilera in the first two seasons and Shakira in the third). 

Now, I am not trying to bash Christina, as this is simply my opinion from an aesthetic point-of-view and I'm not trying to judge her. I love that she loves clothes and makeup so much and that she clearly loves to dress up. I also think Christina is a very talented, attractive woman, but I so wish I could offer her some style tips.

Here are some photos of her from her seasons on The Voice. 

Christina clearly loves clothes and hair and makeup and all the fun that can be had in getting dolled and glammed up. Above, she's got a sexy schoolgirl thing going on with simple, curly, very blonde hair, dark eyes and a bubblegum pink lip. A fair bit of cleavage too. This is a promotional shot, so it's safe to say some airbrushing has happened. 

Here's another promotional shot. She's got bright red and blue coloured hair in her braid, and a large branch-like sparkly hair accessory right on the top of her head. Her top (dress?) looks casual, like a t-shirt so why the big sparkly hair accessory? She's got smoky eye makeup on, dramatic false eyelashes and heavily contoured cheeks. The lips are subdued, at least. If this is meant to be a more fun, natural look, well, uh, not quite...

 

And then we have a VERY tanned Christina with what looks like heavy burgundy blush, smoky eyes and a nude lip. Her eyebrows look super-skinny here. Her hair has a beachy, random-braid thing happening and HELLO breasts! It looks like she just rushed in from the beach where she's been spending hours every day sunbathing. It's A LOT of look. 

 

One of my pet peeves is the girls with olive skintone or tanned skin who wear very light coloured lipstick. That's exactly what Christina is doing here and it looks like she's got the dark lipliner, light lip colour awfulness happening as well. A simple shiny gloss in a caramel tone would suit this look much better, as would a warmer haircolour, less bronzer and less blush. No one goes to the beach in this much makeup. 

Here she's got a rocker look happening with heavy, dark eyes and bright red lips. Lots of that burgundy-purple blush too. Again, that's A LOT of makeup. The hair is pretty, tousled and worn down around her shoulders in a flattering way.

 

I quite like this look, though I think it's too much makeup. I'd tone down the eyes and the blush. A good general rule to follow is that if you go heavy on the eye makeup, you keep the lips subdued and vice versa. You can do a bold eye and a bold lip, but Christina's got bold lips, very bold eyes, AND heavily contoured cheeks.

Here she's got a goddess style headband and tendrils of hair tumbling over her one shoulder. The eye makeup is dark, heavy and dramatic and thankfully the lips are more subdued. The blush is too heavy and a plum colour. She's got large dramatic earrings, lots and lots of cleavage too. 

I'd suggest she dial it back again - maybe less blush and less cleavage.

Here's Christina in a tiara (as you do) and what appears to be a suit jacket, showing those poor breasts pushed up and together, looking painful. The eyes are softer and smoky but in purples so still dramatic. Lots of contouring on the cheeks, as seems to be her thing, and a bright shiny red lip.

In comparison, let's take a look at Shakira. Now, Shakira as compared to Christina Aquilera, hasn't shown the same affection for getting all dolled up in her videos and onstage. She prefers a more subtle, sensual, rock & roll vibe. Granted, it's only her first season. She may start to plaster on the makeup and accessories and cleavage just like Christina. But I don't think so...

Here are some promotional photos of Shakira. Her hair is a soft, buttery blonde shade, sexily mussed and her makeup is barely noticeable in the above photo. In the below photo, she's wearing more dramatic eye makeup and blush/bronzer on her cheeks, but it's still pretty low-key, especially when compared to Christina's looks. Clothing-wise too, Shakira is favouring shimmery fabrics - leather, sequins - but it's not flashy. And she's not showing a tonne of skin either. Very little, in fact. but that could be due to the fact she recently gave birth to her first child. 

Here she is during the blind audition process, wearing a very cool jacket with beaded sleeves and a beaded shirt with a cut out just below her breasts. Subtly sexy and rock & roll and very not in your face. You can see her, not all the stuff she's wearing. The makeup is subdued and barely noticeable. If anything, I'd suggest she amped it up oh-so-slightly with the makeup, maybe a smokier eye or a brighter lip colour. But she looks so soft, pretty and cool. 

Here's another shot of her from the blind audition process. The hair is sexy, tousled, but not in an overdone way. She doesn't appear to be wearing any nailpolish, and there's barely any colour on her eyes and lips. It's very natural what she is wearing. 

Here she is in a later episode in a short-sleeved gold-bronze sequined top (dress?) with beachy hair, and  again, very natural, soft makeup. She looks fantastic, I think. 

 

Again, this is all just my opinion. I prefer Shakira's soft, sensual styling over Christina's ALL-THE-THINGS-AT-ONCE looks. I think in the case of Christina, what she's got on is actually wearing her, not the other way around. In the case of Shakira, you see her, not what she's got on. 

 

Do you agree? Disagree? Tell me!

C.

Beauty Squared Beauty Lessons: Eyeliner

A reader has asked us to do a post about eyeliner. Liquid, pencil, powder, how to apply it, what products to use, etc.

Eyeliner can be subtle or dramatic depending on the look you want. It can be in any colour, it can be contemporary or classic. It can come in the form of a pencil, a pot, a pen or a powder. 

Eyeliner is at the centre of some classic makeup looks:

Marlene Dietrich (1930s)
white eyeliner on the waterline

Marilyn Monroe (1950s)
liquid eyeliner used to create the classic cat eye

Twiggy (1960s)
dramatic eyeliner to create an exaggerated eye

Keira Knightley
black eyeliner on the waterline in the classic smokey eye

Iggy Pop (1970s)
the messy, smudgy rock & roll eye

Eyeliner is used exactly how you think it's used - to line the eye. Lining the eye enhances it, like a frame enhances a photo or a painting. It's one of the easiest ways to add definition to the eye. It can be used on the outside of the eye, along the lashline, or on the inside of the eye, on the waterline. Eyeliner comes in almost every colour and texture you can imagine from the dark and matte to the bright and shimmery.

This post will look at the three main types of eyeliner - pencil, liquid and powder.

Pencil eyeliner is probably the most commonly used type of eyeliner in North America. It's certainly the most readily available. 

Pencil eyeliner comes in a wooden pencil form and is a hardish-powder formula. Pencil eyeliner has wax in it which makes it soften when it comes in contact with the warmth of skin. Pencil eyeshadow comes in an array of colours, but traditionally, it comes in neutral shades like brown, black and white. 

Pencil eyeliner is used widely as soft definition on both the top and bottom lashline, as well as in the waterline. Because of its texture it can be smudged with a brush, a finger or a Q-top quite easily. It's meant to look soft, compared to a liquid liner which has a more precise definition effect.

Black pencil eyeliner is commonly used along the waterline in a smoky eye look although powders and gel/liquid liners can also be used for this purpose. Colours other than black are also used, such as browns, greys, purples, blues, etc. 

Pencil eyeliner tends to be easy to use. Some have harder consistencies than others and it's a good idea to warm them up by applying to the back of the hand before applying to your delicate eye area.

Warm pencils by rubbing them on the back of the hand.

I've also heard that blasting the eyeliner with a hairdryer can also soften it (and won't reduce its sharpness like rubbing on the hand will) but I wonder if this might also melt the product too much if you hold it under too long or soften the product irreparably. 

Tips for using pencil eyeliner:

• a sharper pencil will give you more precision and enable you to get into the lashline. If needed, resharpen your pencil during application.
• using a small stiff brush, you can soften any pencil application for a softly-defined lashline. 
• if a pencil breaks while you sharpen it, try putting it in the freezer so it hardens. 
• gently pulling on the outside of your eye will keep your lid tight so you can get a more precise line.
• applying liner in short strokes will give you more control over how much is applied. 

You can find pencil liners at every price point. Here are some of Beauty Squared's favourites:

• Urban Decay 24/7 - wide variety of colours and textures, from edgy to classic. We're big fans of their metallic colours. Good wear time.
• Make Up Forever AquaEyes - great colour selection and waterproof. These last and last, even on oily skin.
• MAC - always high quality and excellent for basic shades as well as trendier shades.
• L'Oreal - comparable to the Urban Decay pencils but less expensive. 

Here are some swatches of a variety of eye liners. There's far more than simply black or brown to play with!

L-R: MUFE AquaEyes in 10L
Philosophy Colouring Crayon in Creativity
Trucco in Sebastian Ivy
GOSH Crystal'Eyes Eye Pencil in Sparkling Silver
Tarte EmphasEYES Inner Rim Eye Pencil
Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Highlight Hyperliner in Kanzashi
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Ransom
GOSH Crystal'Eyes Eye Pencil in Sparkling Green
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Industrial
Clinique Cream Shaper For Eyes in Mink
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Undercurrent

Inner Eye or Waterline:

You may have heard or read this term. The lining of the inner eye (the part of the eyelid inside the lashes) is a trick that can make the eyes look smaller or larger, depending on the colour used, and for a complete smoky eye look, it's necessary.

Here are some examples from past Beauty Squared EOTDs and FOTDs of waterlining.

While waterlining can be difficult for those with sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers, and can make small eyes look smaller, the effect is addictive for those who can wear it. Using black on the waterline makes the eyes stand out dramatically and gives the eyes a sexy, sultry effect.  Using white or a fleshtone on the waterline makes the eyes look bigger, such as in the photo below.

The technique of using kohl powder to line the waterline has been around since the ancient Egyptians and is still used traditionally in the Middle East and India as well as western civilizations today. While black eyeliner pencils mimic this effect fairly well, you can find the more traditional powder kohl in beauty supply stores and with some beauty brands, such as this one from Guerlain. The powder is applied by this pointed applicator, rather than by brush.

Liquid eyeliner is found in pens, typically with an applicator built into the lid, or in pots with which you need to use a separate brush. Liquid eyeliner is one of the more challenging beauty tricks to manage and one that artists get asked about a lot. So many iconic beauty looks utilize liquid eyeliner. 

Liquid eyeliner in pens are common since the brush is built into the packaging, such as those pictured below. Sometimes the liner looks like a felt-tip pen and sometimes it's like a mascara with the brush built into the cap. Typically, if looking at buying one like this, you'll want to have a look at the pen tip, if possible. You want the skinniest tip you can get.

Liquid eyeliner can also be found in pots, such as those pictured below. Typically, liner found in pot form are gel liners, which has a thicker consistency than liquid which is what is typically used in pen liners. You need to use a brush with liner that comes in pot form. Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner and MAC Fluidlines are two of the best of this style of liner. 

Brushes to use with potted eyeliner should be very very finely tipped such as the photo below. The tilt to the end of the brush is ergonomic and makes it easier to apply product precisely. 

Another option is to use an angle brush, which is broad but very finely tipped. It allows for applying product more quickly and is handy for thickening and flicking the ends of the liner. 

If you try both types of brushes, you'll likely find that you prefer one over the other but if you're starting out, you'll want to try the very fine tipped one first and work up to the angle brush when you're feeling more confident. 

Check out these creative liquid eyeliner looks:

http://kristianathe.blogspot.ca/2011/05/best-works-20102011.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZyuAECvtDo

http://mymakeupboxisabomb.blogspot.ca/2010/06/creative-makeup-eyeliner.html

But the most common use of eyeliner is in a very classic cat-eye look such as often seen on Marilyn Monroe and Angelina Jolie. Liquid eyeliner in this style perfectly suits the shape of Angelina's eyes and gives her them an extra seductive quality. This is seen a lot on celebrities and models. 

For a Marilyn Monroe makeup tutorial, click here. 

The classic 60s eye also utilized eyeliner but to make the eyes look bigger and more doll-like. As pictured below, 60s icon Twiggy defines her eyes by applying black liner (with a non-angled fine-tipped brush) to her crease, along her top lashline and using it to paint on her lower lashes. 

For a Twiggy/1960s makeup tutorial, click here. 

The seductive, enigmatic movie star Marlene Dietrich would use a thin line of liquid eyeliner (as was the trend in the 30s) to enhance the hooded quality of her naturally hooded and slightly downturned eyes. She'd draw the liner along her lashline, but rather than pulling it up at the outside, she'd extend it slightly downwards to pull the eye down slightly. Note as well, that she also used a white product on her lower waterline to make her eyes look larger. 

For a Marlene Dietrich makeup tutorial, click here. 

You can find liquid eyeliner from most brands, although typically drugstore brands will carry it as limited edition depending on the trends. Drugstore brands will typically carry only black liquid liner but you may be able to find a variety of colours that will match MAC or Make Up For Ever's selections. Revlon's ColorStay Liquid Liner is a popular choice, as are Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum and Maybelline Line Stiletto Ultimate Precision Liquid Eyeliner. 

I thought I'd include powder eyeliner in this post because it gives an additional option for lining the eye, that's not technically an "eyeliner". Powder eyeliner is simply using a loose or pressed powder eyeshadow to line your eye. It gives a much softer, smokier effect than both pencil eyeliners and liquid eyeliners. It also comes in pretty much any colour and texture you can think of. 

To line your eyes with an eyeshadow, simply use a fine tipped brush, such as an angle brush, as discussed above and work the shadow into your lashline. Layer it as needed to intensify the effect. Using eyeshadow along your lash line can be a very natural way to enhance your eyes. Choosing a shade that's close to the colour of your lashes and applying it softly will make your eyes look bigger, and your lashes thicker without looking like you're wearing much of anything on your eyes. 

Using a metallic colour will of course, add sparkle to your eye look and using a matter shade will look more natural. Eyeshadow will not last as long as a pencil eyeliner or a liquid eyeliner, so it's best to keep it just along the lashline and not extend it out into a flick as you would with a liquid liner. You can also use water to moisten an eyeshadow and use it like a liquid liner that way. 

And now you know almost everything there is to know about eyeliner! Please, if I've missed anything or if you have any questions, let us know in the comments below.

We hope you've enjoyed this Lesson on eyeliner. Let us know if there's anything else you'd like us to tackle!

C.

Beauty Squared Round-Up - May 12, 2013

Weekly beauty link round-up time! Let's do this.

The Sephora and Pantone collaborations continue. They've just launched an electronic system that can accurately match your skintone to one of the 110 shades in the Pantone SkinTone Library, which can then be used to match one of the foundations Sephora carries. 

Is Arbonne really as pure and natural as you think?

The annual Met Ball happened last week. This year's theme was punk. While I have to argue that none of the outfits worn by the models and celebrities on the red carpet were at all punk, it was quite the display and Buzzfeed has a round-up of some of the night's best beauty looks. 

Oh look, Disney's gone and "fixed" something that wasn't broken at all. Merida, the refreshingly non-typical-princess heroine of the Disney movie Brave, has been given a makeover, for some bizarro reason. Boooooo, Disney, boooooo. 

Some tips for posing for photos from three photogenic ladies. Trust me, you'll want to read this.

Attention make-up artists in the GTA! MUA Lucky Bromhead is teaching a class on Macro Beauty (see the photo above) at Blur Makeup Room in Toronto. The event details are here.