Beauty Icon Wednesday: Model Moments, Then & Now

Name: Karen Elson, born January 14th. 1979


Known for: Red hair, strong bone structure, marrying an equally pale rock star (Jack White)

Name: Mikhaila 'Coco' Rocha, born September 10th, 1988


Known for: Pale skin, high cheekbones, dancing an Irish jig down a Jean Paul Gaultier's runway.




Smart models – which is not an oxymoron by the way - know that they can only trade on their genetically blessed features for so long before losing out to something younger, newer, fresher. But the ‘Slashie’, as in model-slash-actor, has been done to death, so what’s a poor model to do? Well, here's how two of the industry's most successful commodities are coping with this Brave New multi-tasking World.

Karen Elson was my favourite model in the 90s. Coming out hot on the heels of the over-the-top 80's Supermodel, on the tail end of the Heroin Chic that Kate Moss embodied earlier in the decade, she emerged like an alien flower. With her orange-red hair and bleached out eyebrows, she was as freakish as she was beautiful. Karen's look was a refreshing change from what can so often become a revolving door of cookie cutter beauties. But even then, she was smart enough to know that her look would only last so long, and she evolved into an ethereal vintage fairy princess. Fourteen years after her first Steven Miesel-shot Italian Vogue cover, Karen is still modelling but, like any clever businesswoman, she has diversified. She's an accomplished musician, having released her first album last year, and is now launching a vintage-inspired collection of accessories for shoe retailer Nine West.  


Coco Rocha is my favourite of the new breed of model. Not going to lie - it doesn't hurt that she's also a Canadian. But it really wasn't until her flame-tressed campaign for H&M in the fall of 2009 that I truly fell under her spell. Her opposition to the anorexic industry standard and her recent agreement with Canadian retailer Jacob to star in an untouched ad campaign have only made me heart her more. But Coco is not just another pretty face on ridiculously long legs with fabulous hair - like Elson before her, she has also expanded upon her brand. But where Karen turned to the past for inspiration, Coco has fully embraced the future. In addition to her website, Coco also has a Facebook page, a Tumblr account and is very active on Twitter, where she interacts with her followers on a daily basis - just as every good brand should. 

I'm not too proud to say that yes, I follow Coco on Twitter. But I follow a lot of people. It is with some small amount of shame that I admit that as soon as I'm done with this post, I'll be looking to see if Karen Elson is on Twitter as well.  

Out of curiosity, you understand. 

Dermalogica Up Close: Fall Makeup with Diana Carreiro

I would love to be able to say that apotheKerri beauty is all I do. Hopefully, someday soon, I'll be able to do just that. Until such a special and magical time occurs, my real-life job is at Dermalogica Canada. And trust me, it certainly does have its perks!

Demonstrating a colourful eye
on TO Beauty Reviews

In addition to being able to 'model' for skin care treatments using the #1 professional skin care brand in the world, you occasionally get invited to such fabulous events as last Thursday's Dermalogica Up Close media and blogger event. It was a much different set-up than the usual, with three seminar topics going on in different rooms. I had the good fortune (well, not really, since my co-workers are well-aware of what my business and first love) of being assigned to Diana Carreiro's room, where she talked about and demoed some upcoming makeup trends for fall.

About to give The Glitter Geek
a red lip she won't soon forget

For those of you who may not be familiar with the name, if you have read any Canadian fashion magazine or even just walked by and noticed a cover in the past, oh, twenty years or so, then you will most definitely be familiar with her work. Ms. Carreiro is Canada's preeminent makeup artist whose career has spanned an incredible twenty-seven years. It’s not every day that you get to sit in on a presentation with the artist that made you – some shy little country girl who barely survived by flipping through fashion magazines such as Flare and FASHION - dream about growing up to become a makeup artist. Basically, it’s an opportunity to learn from the Master that one cannot afford to miss.


But before I continue to gush about my admiration for Ms Carreiro and completely embarrass myself in the process, here are some of the key looks she demonstrated for the coming season:

Flushed at Marc Jacobs

1. Rosy cheeks: Applied low and bold on the cheeks – closer to the hollow than the apple – for that just-in-from-cold look.

Browheavy at Carolina Herrera

2. Strong brows: Perhaps the more controversial of the trends, for me at least, the well-groomed yet tomboyish brow is back once again. And it will be a cold, cold day in hell before you see it on me.

Silver eyes at Chanel

3. Metallics: Where, you might ask? Eyes, lips, nails… if you can name it, you can dust it in shades of gold, silver or gunmetal. Just please, not all on the same night – you’ll end up looking more like a disco ball than anything else.

Blue-eyed beauty at Dior

4. Colour on the eyes: A continuation of the bold, colour block look that was so hot for summer, the colourful eye becomes a little more sassy with unexpected oranges and pinks or a little more sexy with smokey blue.

Scarlet lips at Gucci 

5. Red Lips: Although it seems like this is a perennial fall trend, this season you can have whatever shade or texture of red that floats your boat. Happiness!


So there you have it - five major makeup trends for the upcoming season. Question is: which one will you be rocking this year?