These nails only last a day but they’re so pretty. I used the stickers because the glue that came with the nails was all dried out. It was 10pm when I was putting them on, so no time to run out for more glue. These lasted a full 24 hours, and after I washed my face at night they kinda came off so easily. The stickers don’t like water, or hand cream, so that makes them pretty easy to pull off. No damage to my nail either.
There are neutrals and then there are neutrals. Try your best to stay away from anything that washes you out too much, and definitely put away dark shadow for now. The look that I would go for this spring is pretty and light maybe brightened up with some black liner.
Dior has a fabulous new palette of neutrals that’s well-worth checking out. The quad this season is called Elegante and features light pink, golds, and beige tones along with a dark shimmery chocolate brown to accent your eyes. Don’t believe the commentors who say that this won’t work for darker skin tones. It most-definitely will and the colours look great used as sheer washes of colour as a day look.
This is the palette I’m reaching for most days.
Check out the new KVD Everlasting Blush in Peony which is a matte clean pink that’s neutral and easy to wear. I love a nicely formulated matte blush because it sticks to your skin and even seems to absorb oil as you wear it.
This is the perfect blush for almost every skin tone and definitely lasts the whole day on me. It’s a pretty pink, wearable colour.
Available at Sephora. $35.
FlowerByKenzo is a classic and if you haven’t smelled it, you are missing out on a crucial influence on the world of perfume. You haven’t smelled until you’ve smelled FlowerbyKenzo. It is a powdery floral perfume that’s strong yet subtle at the same time. It is completely feminine and just makes you smell good.
Main notes include Bulgarian Rose, Musk, and vanilla and it’s a floral musky scent that you will smell.
If you haven’t smelled this already, chances are that when you smell it now, you’ll think that it smells like something you’ve tried before. It’s probably true since this is the scent that’s had lots of imitations since it was launched in 1999, but nothing’s come close to it and as it wears it just gets better and better.
Do you already own Kenzo? Have you tried it? What do you think?
Do you like these or not? I’m kind of in the middle. I don’t find them hydrating at all, but I love the bright glossy flush of colour that they give my lips.
No matter what time of year it is, I always have super dry hands and feet that need tons of TLC. Luckily, there’s this trio of Weleda products.
Feet get a dose of Weleda Foot Balm ($19.99) which doesn’t have mint in it, but does contain a tiny bit of alcohol which quickly evaporates upon application leaving feet feeling cool and refreshed. I also like to use it on sore muscles after a workout.
Hands get some Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream ($17.29) which absorbs quickly and still provides intense hydration. Sesame Seed Oil, Glycerin, and Shea Butter give lots of different emollients to skin to really keep is moisturized.
Finally, if you have extremely dry and rough skin, then you need Weleda Skin Food ($23) which is the stickiest and greasiest product but also the most effective cream ever because it has lanolin and beeswax in it. It actually stays on your skin and is perfect if you do a lot of computer work because you can smear it on and then type to your heart’s content.
You can pick them all up at at www.weleda.ca, well.ca, Whole Foods Market and natural independent health food stores.
I know, it’s not the Vichy packaging that we’re used to, but guess what? Vichy now has little packages of their masks, so that you can try them before you invest in a full jar. Personally, I like the little packages because they are so much easier to travel with and I have a whole box of them that I take with me whenever I go on vacation. 
Ok, lets get into what this mask is. Truly, I really enjoyed using this mask. It’s got vitamin C and AHA’s in it, along with some very finely milled volcanic stone so you get some physical and chemical exfoliation. This is not for sensitive skin. It’s best for skin that is oily and congested and needs some clearing up!
You leave the mask on for 5 minutes, which is a major plus. I find that I rarely have time for the 20 minute masks, but I always have time for the 5 minute masks. You could even do this mask in the morning while you get ready for work. In fact, I might try that tomorrow morning.
So you leave it on for 5 minutes, and then rub it on your face so that the fine volcanic stone gives you a gentle scrub. You wash it off – I prefer to use a washcloth and wipe it off because I find that to be easier – and then you’re left with super smooth skin. And here’s a little tip: take the excess mask that’s left on your fingertips and rub it on the back of your hands. You’ll have nice smooth hands too.
Available in drugstores now or online. $7.95 for a pack of 2 masks, or $34.95 for the whole jar.
From the archives: Maharani Jewels is a gorgeous collection of baubles filled with makeup.
Check out the Lotus Splendour below. The pod below is beautiful on its own but it opens to reveal a collection of beautiful makeup colours.
Two eyeshadows and a lipgloss that are perfectly coordinated and go on beautifully.
Though the Lotus flower is beautiful, I think my favourite product is the Poudre Elephant. It’s a bronzing powder compact with the picture of an elephant on it.
The elephant is a light pink and orange colour, while the rest of the powder is a golden bronze. I use the colours as eyeshadows but they work beautifully to highlight as well, and add a lovely glow to the face. They’re also covered with a fine layer of gold shimmer powder that goes away once you’ve dipped the brush into the compact, but the colours are so pretty that it doesn’t matter.
This collection also includes a Onyx coloured Hypnose Mascara, which I’ve reviewed before.
By Bonnie Tam
What’s the most annoying part of being female? For me, it’s hair removal. It’s the one piece of maintenance that no female enjoys or wanted in the first place. As some of you already know, there are lots of different options to solve this problem with different degrees of maintenance and sacrifice.
Now for me, I was never really a fan of shaving. The idea of having to do it every few days was annoying, not to mention, I cut myself all the time. My next idea was hair removal creams and/or foams. They typically last a week or two but I couldn’t stand the odor. Everyone in the house knew what I was doing. Then I tried waxing, which normally lasted 3-4 weeks but the pain was quite the sacrifice. Now, sugaring on the other hand, has the effectiveness of waxing but isn’t as painful. I think it’s also a great alternative to start with because it’s water-soluble so if you chicken-out at the last minute, then you can just wash it off with warm water. There is also hard wax. Typical waxing is applied and then removed using a strip of cloth, but hard wax does not require the cloth. It hardens on the hair and is then removed. I prefer this type of wax for more sensitive areas like my bikini.
After trying all these methods, I still wanted to find a more permanent solution and so I thought of laser hair removal. I figure no matter how painful it is or how much it costs, it would be worth it to NEVER have to think about removing hair again.
Getting laser hair removal is the best decision I’ve made my entire life. It not only got rid of the annoyance but now I love my body even more. I find myself touching my silky soft legs whenever I’m sitting. I love wearing skirts and shorts because I always have hairless legs. Above all, there really is no sacrifice except for cost. You get a treatment (which takes only 30 minutes for lower legs) every 4-6 weeks. Most people only need 6-8 treatments to be hair-free for life.
I had ILP (Intense Pulsed Light) which did not hurt more than pin prick. However, if you’re really worried about the pain, like I was at the beginning, then I definitely recommend going to Rejuvederme in Yorkville. Gina Tadros is a registered nurse as well as a cosmetic consultant so the way she handles patients is incredible. If it’s your first time getting a treatment, she can use some freezing cream to numb the area so you don’t even feel the pin prick. You have to wear protective goggles, but she continues to tell you what she is doing so you feel at ease during the whole procedure.
I recommend laser hair removal to all women everywhere. Since my first procedure on my lower legs, I am currently doing my underarms (can you imagine wearing tank tops whenever you want without any worries?) and am considering getting my bikini done too.
Any questions about laser hair removal? Ask Bonnie and she’ll answer them to the best of her abilities. Have you had laser hair removal done? Were you happy with the treatment? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This is palette 508, Nude Pink Design. I first picked it up because of the gorgeous shimmer shade. It’s clear, but just shimmer. There’s no base colour, but just very fine pink glitter that looks good on a bare lid or on top of another eyeshadow.
I also love the cream eyeshadow in the bottom right hand corner. it’s the perfect colour for filling in my eyebrows and that’s what I’ve been using it for. I’ve tried it as a liner too but it’s not dark enough for me, so I wouldn’t use it for that.
Unfortunately, this palette is a few years old, so it’s not available anymore. I’m still using it though!
