New from Rag & Bone: Worldwide Exclusive. Limited Edition. $55. Charitable Giving.

Rag and Bone TotesIf you’re like the rest of the fashion world, by now you are wearing and obsessed with Rag and Bone jeans – I know I am.  The pairs I have fit like a glove, make me look tall and skinny, and just seem to fit the style of the day.  I even wrote about their boyfriend jeans (seriously, you need a pair).

Now, you can get your hands on a limited edition, worldwide exclusive tote bag that Rag & Bone has designed in collaboration with Holt Renfrew.

Priced at $55 (um, 1/6th of the price of their jeans), this tote bag supports Right To Play, a global organization that uses the transformative power of play to educate and empower children facing adversity.  I think we can all agree that it’s really important for kids to play – whether it’s directed playing or completely unstructured, they need the time to be able to play so that they can learn and activate different parts of their brain.

By purchasing the totes, customers will help Holt Renfrew reach its goal of raising $100,000 for Right To Play.

This entire initiative is part of Holt Renfrew’s H Project which offers unique products to benefit charity.

rag and bone tote in green

The Rag and Bone Tote comes in three colours: black, white, and army green, and does have a Rag and Bone label on the outside.  It’s completely made of cotton canvas and perfect for the summer.  I’ve been using mine to tote around extra snacks – it’s the perfect summer accessory that’s casual and stylist at the same time.

Pick yours up at Holt Renfrew stores now.

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Only At Shoppers – Don’t Sweat It!

Don't Sweat ItI’m a blogger for the brand new #OnlyAtShoppers program for this summer! What that means is that if you head to the Only at Shoppers website, you can read my tricks and tips on how to look and feel great this summer. Best of all, all the products mentioned are shoppable – you can of course, find them at Shoppers Drug Mart!

Check out my article on keeping your skin in great condition this summer despite all the sweat and oil you might encounter.

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New Aveeno Skin Relief Hand Cream

aveeno skin relief hand creamOk, if you’re familiar with sensitive skin then you’re familiar with Aveeno, and the latest addition to their skincare line is a hand cream.

Probably not for very chapped skin, what the Skin Relief cream does offer is immediate relief for dry skin, and a non-greasy formula that is fast absorbing and also fragrance-free. It’s so gentle that I don’t mind if my little one plays with the bottle.

Like the rest of Aveeno’s Active Naturals line, this is formulated with Colloidal Oatmeal which helps heal dry skin and forms a protective barrier for long-term moisturization.

Love it. Already finished the tube I got in the beginning of March (our family goes through a lot of hand cream).

$9.99 at food, drug, and mass merchandisers.

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MAC Alluring Aquatics Collection Details + Video

MAC Alluring Aquatics

This collection is available online now and in stores this Thursday May 22nd!

It’s definitely one to check out in person so check out my review and swatches of it in the video I made.

Here’s what’s in the collection:

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lipsticks

LIPSTICK
Siren Song sheer pale beige (lustre)
Pet Me, Please light shimmering mauve (frost)
Enchanted One mid-tone neutral pink (matte)
Mystical mid-tone creamy rose (cremesheen)
Goddess of the Sea dark vibrant violet (cremesheen)
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lipglass

LIPGLASS
Clear Water sheer nude with multidimensional pearl
Peachstock creamy true nude
Water Deities light bronzy pink
Seducing Sound mid-tone plum bronze
Modern Lure deep violet with pink pearl
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lip Pencils

LIP PENCIL
What Comes Naturally light nude
Half-Red soft burgundy
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Eyeshadow

EXTRA DIMENSION EYE SHADOW
Lorelei golden beige
Sea Worship tarnished olive
Silver Sun mid-tone dirty sea foam green
Legendary Lure deep cerulean
Fathoms Deep deep blue
Soul Serenade deep plum brown
SRP $19.50 US/$22.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Eye Liner

PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER
Black Line black with gold pearl
Black Swan black with pearl
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics bronzer

BRONZING POWDER
Refined Golden finely spun golden with soft pearl
Golden muted golden tan-beige with shimmer
SRP $27.50 US/$33.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Extra Dimension Bronzer

EXTRA DIMENSION BRONZER
Aphrodite’s Shell golden bronze with a touch of fine shimmer
Delphic soft brick tan with a touch of fine shimmer
SRP $33.00 US/$38.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Blush

EXTRA DIMENSION BLUSH
Sea Me, Hear Me beige pink
Seduced at Sea mid-tone neutral plum
SRP $27.50 US/$32.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Nail Polish

NAIL LACQUER
Submerged dark teal chrome
Neptune tarnished gold
Shimmerfish sparkling aluminum
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Brushes

BRUSH
127 Split Fibre Face Brush
SRP $35.00 US/$42.00 CDN
233 Split Fibre Eye Shadow Brush
SRP $25.00 US/$30.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics makeup bag

MAKEUP BAG
SRP $35.00 US/$42.00 CDN

Posted in Summer 2014 | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Taking Strides, Sharing Stories

Schick logo and dumbellsOn May 22nd,Schick Hydro Silk’s Facebook page will be hosting an online gallery called, “Taking Strides, Sharing Stories”.

It’s a cool new campaign taking place to encourage women to share stories about woman in their life who makes the world a better place by doing something above and beyond what is expected. This woman can be yourself, a colleague or neighbour, but the actions are meant to inspire us to take our own strides.

What makes it even better is for every story or photo shared on the online gallery, Schick will donate $1 towards a Women’s Mental Health program. We want you to be one of the first stories featured on the online gallery! So in the comments below, please share your stories! Share about yourself or the women in your life that are inspiring, celebrating, or encouraging others and your story will be one of the first on the online gallery.

…so here’s my story, and it has a lot to do with mental health.

When I think of mental health, I think about working out. For me, the mind and body are connected, and when you take care of your body, you’re taking care of your mind. There are a number of reasons why it’s true for me. Firstly, working out is my “me” time. It’s where I can de-stress from the day or even escape from the day. I just turn my music up loud, and allow myself to get swept away in a story as I run on the treadmill or lift weights. Time flies by, and after years of doing this, I literally have to tear myself away from the gym because I don’t want my “me” time to end.

I think that we can all agree that it’s really important to have some time for yourself, and to have an activity that you do just for you. This is mine, and I think I realized its true importance after I had a kid. After that, you realize that almost everything you do is for them – your work, cooking, shopping, cleaning… it’s to keep them safe and sound, and healthy.

But working out is just for me. It’s for me to take care of me, and to really focus on my own body and mind. I also go all or nothing – so if I’m working out, I also try to eat healthy, meaning I focus on clean eating and try not to eat anything processed. I stay away from pop (not difficult because I was never a Coke drinker anyway), and I try to stay away from sweets (my Kryptonite). I focus on making my own meals, pepping things up with salad dressings I make myself, and really introducing new vegetables into my diet whenever I can.

Even after doing this for years, I have to say that it’s not easy. It doesn’t get easier the more you do it. But every day is a new day and a chance to be better. There are days when I feel like I have no energy, or am so exhausted that I feel like I’ve earned a treat or to relax. But then I drag myself to the elliptical for “just 10 minutes” of cardio, which actually turns into more time and lots of sweating. When I don’t feel like doing weights, I just do stretches, and then once I’m on the ground, I figure I may as well do some ab exercises and then before you know it, I’m up and have 15 lbs in each hand. And nothing beats the sense of accomplishment I feel after – I know that I did it. I didn’t want to do it… but I did!

I hope that you find this story inspiring and encouraging in some way – you too can make each day better than the last!

Share and win with Schick Hydro Silk!

On May 22nd, visit Schick Hydro Silk’s Facebook page and post your story in the online gallery to be entered into a contest to win an unforgettable getaway to Costa Rica.

Also follow @HydroSilkCA and participate in their upcoming Twitter party on May 29th and participate in their month long Twitter contest starting June 2nd for a chance to win amazing prizes!

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Pantene’s New DAMAGE DETOX WEEKLY REHAB CRÈME

Pantene Damage Detox CollectionWeekly deep conditioning is a must when you have dry and damaged hair, and so when I saw the Damage Detox Weekly Rehab Creme ($8.99) from Pantene, I had to try it.

Really, the packaging of the product convinced me that I needed it. It looks just like the little conditioners that you get with your hair dye, except perhaps double the size.

This cream has Mosa Mint Oil and antioxidants. It is super rich and thick, and so seal damaged ends to make hair look and feel more smooth. The antioxidants help protect against further damage by protecting against protein loss.

The best part for me is that this is designed to be used on colour-treated hair, as well, which means that there’s not a huge amount of loss of colour as I continue to use this.

The Damage Detox collection also includes a weekly deep cleansing shampoo which I think is an awesome addition. It lathers nicely and really removes the gunk out of your hair so that your conditioner can work better and actually get to the hair shaft.

The entire line has Mosa Mint Oil in it so it smells nice and fresh.

Check out the line at drugstores now.

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New, Eau de Lacoste Sensuelle

Lacoste Eau Sensuelle“Sensual” is not what comes to mind when I think of Lacoste, but luckily, this is a flanker to the original Lacoste scent, and I suppose on occasion and for a limited time, sporty tennis wear may be sensual.

Eau de Lacoste Sensuelle is a peppery spicy yet slightly sweet blend that’s strong and feminine. The top notes are Pink Pepper and Blackcurrant, the middle note is mostly rosy, and the base notes are of nougatine and amber. The blackcurrant makes the top note slightly sweet, while the nougatine and amber make the base of the fragrance more sweet.

The entire blend is interesting (even though it’s not very original) and I can’t help but get a sense of deja vu when I smell this scent. I feel like I’ve smelled it before.

The bottle is amazingly pretty. Strong, dark, and heavy-looking, the textured lid reminds you of a tennis racket, but the gold chain around it keeps it feminine and trendy.

EAU DE LACOSTE SENSUELLE is available now at Shoppers Drug Mart and will have wider
distribution in May 2014 at Sears, Jean Coutu and London Drugs.

EDT 90 ml $93
EDP 50 ml $75

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Brush Must-Haves

New Nars BrushesNars has just revamped its brushes, and there are some amazing choices to check out.  I already owned a Nars Smudge Brush and Angled Eyeliner Brush ($32 each) and although they are the “old” versions, they are amazing.  I’ve never had any fall-out of fibers from either of them, and they’re both so soft which is especially important of brushes used on the eye area.

From the new collection, I have the contour brush and the cheek brush ($47 each).  Without fail, I have to say that the contour brush is the best brush that I have ever used for contour (and I have used a few).  What this brush brings to the table is that it is soft but densely packed.  That means that when you apply contour powder under your cheek bones, it doesn’t spread around too much and you can really have precise application.  This makes for a nice sharp contour instead of one that’s too hazy and then ineffective.

The Nars blush brush is great too.  It has a small head but one that’s still fluffy so that you can apply blush directly to the apple of your cheek but still blend it so that it looks like a diffused flush of colour.  Nars blushes tend to be pigmented, and this is the best brush to use with them because this brush tends to fit the pan nicely so that you can pick up just the right amount of product.  Most other blush brushes I’ve used are rounded but flatter than this one.  This means that it’s a bit more difficult to apply a blended circle of natural-looking colour.  The Nars’ brush is fluffier and rounder, almost globe-like (but longer and oval) and so it applies a blended area of blush very easily.

These are available at select NARS retailers (including Sephora, Hudson’s Bay, Holt Renfrew and Murale) and www.narscosmetics.ca.

Posted in Spring 2014 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Thursday Threes: Best Drugstore BB Creams

These are perfect for the summer because they all have SPF in them!

The best BB creams can do it all. Not only do they provide sun protection and a bit of a tint, but they can also do double duty as primers underneath foundation. Here are our three favourite BB creams that can be found at drugstores.

drugstore bb creams

1. Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector

This BB cream comes in four shades and is a moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation primer in one.
$16

2. L’Oreal Sublime Sun Silky Sheer BB Face Lotion with Tint

Of all the BB creams that we’ve found at the drugstore, this is the one with the highest SPF (it has an SPF of 50!) and that’s why we recommend it. It has a silky smooth feel and is tinted a neutral yet super sheer beige colour. This BB cream only comes in one shade but it will match most light/medium to dark skin tones.
$18

3. IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Crème

Perhaps the only BB cream available for those with darker skin tones, this BB cream is also enriched with antioxidants to brighten skin.
$27.50

Posted in Spring 2014 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick

Dior Addict Extreme lipstickMy life is a revolving door for lipsticks and lip products.  I’m constantly on the hunt for something new.  I keep a lippie on my desks, in each of my jackets, in my car, and on my dresser.  The kicker?  Each an every single product needs to be versatile enough to wear daily to almost any event or occasion – not too bright, not drying, hydrating, but lasting too. It has to match the neutral blush and eye shadow that I’m wearing, and it needs to be easy to apply without a mirror.

My latest love that I can’t get enough of is Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in Mirage (338) – the lipstick formula isn’t new, but the colour is part of their summer collection and it’s a beautiful peachy/beige that works well with bronzer on the cheeks.

For the record: Mirage comes in the regular Dior Addict lipstick formula and in the new Dior Addict Fluid Stick, but I love the Addict Extreme version.

Dior Addict Extreme lipstick is made up of a blend of waxes, oils, and hyaluronic acid, so while it delivers on colour, it is super hydrating.  It’s hydration you can feel from the very first swipe because this lipstick is soooo smooooth.  It just glides on to the lips, and makes them feel amazing.  Truly, this lipstick is better than a balm because of the colour payoff, although it’s nowhere near as pigmented as a matte lipstick might be. In fact, I don’t like using the brighter versions of this lipstick because it’s so moisturizing that the colour doesn’t stay put and can look a little messy. But the more natural looking colours… go for them. They are easy to wear and look great.

There’s no annoying scent, and once you wear it, you forget that you have it on.  Because it is a hydrating formula, the finish is slightly shiny but still natural-looking.  Not surprisingly, it doesn’t last a long time on the lips and wears quickly if you’re drinking or eating, but it’s such a pleasure to apply that you’re going to love it.

It’s a keeper.

Pick it up at Dior counters for $32. When you’re looking for them, check out the lipsticks in the navy blue cases.

 

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