L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Butterfly Mascara
This mascara has an amazing new asymmetrical wand shape letting you get mascara on evenly throughout the lashes.
$12
Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara
We love this mascara because it really builds volume with just one coat.
$13.
CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara
We love this mascara because you can keep building volume with it or apply just one coat for length.
$10
Cold Cream was so called because it literally felt cold when you applied it to the skin. Made of a blend of water and mineral oil, the water typically started evaporating as your rubbed it in and so your skin felt a little cold. Rich and thick, there isn’t anything that cold cream can’t do. It was a favourite for tissuing off makeup and amazing on very dry feet. But these days, I’m loathe to use so much mineral oil on my skin, and so it’s so nice to have found an alternative.
Nuxe has reformulated the typical cold cream with almond oil instead, and the result is the cold cream we always loved but with natural oils and a slightly lighter formula. While typical cold cream would be extremely greasy and kind of sit on the skin, the oils from this one absorb into the skin over time leaving it soft and hydrated.
The entire line of Bio Beaute includes a face cream, hand lotion, body lotion, and body balm, all using the cold cream formulation. The Body Balm is super thick and feels more like a typical cold cream. You need to rub it into the skin until it disappears, and it is superbly hydrating. The only issue? Applying cold cream in the winter isn’t so fun (especially after ahot shower!) but I have to say that my hands are loving this cream.
Check out the entire range now.
Available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart for $29.
I hate to say this, but it seems like the cold weather is sticking around for a little while longer, and I know that my skin needs some TLC. If you’re in the same boat, then check out Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Masque.
A mix of b5, water, and glycerine, this is a thick mask that can even be used as a moisturizer. Apply a thick or thin layer on your skin and let it soak in. Then either wipe away or keep on.
I actually use this in the morning after cleansing because I love the cooling and refreshing feeling of the gel. It wakes me up and I’ve found that a dose of moisture makes my skin look more vibrant. It even takes care of any residual acne scarring – I think the moisture makes the dry skin around the scar plumped and hydrated and then makes it a little less obvious.
My skin tends to be oily so I’m not leaving this on after I use it, and I just wipe it off with a towel, rinse with a bit of water, and then go on to the rest of my skincare.
Pick this up from dermatologists’ office or online for $64.
A brighter you. That’s what the Clarins Spring 2014 collection offers you, and the array of shimmery and creamy options really do deliver.
Like any good makeup artist, Clarins offers a good base with its collection of three new colour-correcting bases. Yes, this is the new trend that you’re going to be seeing on counters this year: products that correct the base instead of just covering it up. The Clarins bases come in rose, champagne, and bronze. They all combat dull skin in their own way and create a more even canvas on which to spread foundation or concealer. These are sheerly tinted and light in texture. If you have oily skin, they can likely replace your moisturizer. They are suitable for all skin types and absorb quickly. If I were using a makeup base, I would use it after applying this cream.
Next, four new brightly-coloured cream blushes. These are cream to powder formulas and are a little bit harder to the touch than most cream blushes. They are quite different from MAC or Bobbi Brown cream blushes that are more emollient and look almost greasy and shiny on the skin. Peach, Candy, Grenadine, and Rosewood are the colours that they come in.
The main attraction is the Opalescence Face and Blush Powder. A blend of peach, bronze, and rose powders (like the bases offered in the collection), this soft palette is great for setting makeup and adding a touch of warmth to the skin. There’s a tiny amount of shimmer in the powder and this is not for those who want completely matte skin.
The mineral eyeshadows on offer are smoky purples and light pinks. Pretty for the summer. Because the shadows are mineral-based, they are quite shiny but ultimately long-wearing.
The Joli Rouge Brilliant Sheer Lipsticks are adorable and will likely appeal to many people. They’re sheer, but brightly coloured (as the name states!) and easy to wear! They are moisturizing and shiny and so do not have great wear time. The colours: Tropical Pink, Coral Tulip, and Pink Orchid are lovely. Truly, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Finally, Gloss Prodige in clear and Coral Slip.
Pick up the entire collection at Clarins counters now.
London Rain – there’s nothing that smells quite as good as the air after a rainfall, and Jo Malone’s latest collection builds on that idea.
The London Rain Collection features four different scents in a large 100ml bottles ($135 each).
The four scents are:
Rain & Angelica
Glassy beads of dew, awakening a London park at dawn. A revitalising scent, enlivened with herbaceous angelica and juicy lime on an earthy base of vetiver. Aqueous and clear.
Wisteria & Violet
A soft morning shower, soaking purple wisteria cascading over London stone walls. Infused with the wet-petal scent of violets and water lily. Rainwashed and intoxicating.
White Jasmine & Mint
An afternoon cloudburst, drenching gardens exuberant with jasmine, lily, orange flower and rose. Eccentric with its dash of scrambling wild mint. Enchanting and refreshing.
Black Cedarwood & Juniper
Midnight rain. Seductive with the carnal touch of cumin, chilli leaves, and aromatic juniper. Dark with cedarwood.Humid with moss. Modern and urban.
The first scent that I smelled was Black Cedarwood & Juniper. This is a very masculine scent (although all Jo Malone colognes are technically unisex) and really works well on men. It’s different from most male scents in that it’s without the overbearing sharp citrus notes. It’s definitely urban in that it’s a cool sharp scent, and lacks any kind of warmth. The juniper and cedarwood work so well together, and I did try to wear this myself but it just didn’t work on me.
I’ve also smelled White Jasmine and Mint, which is turning out to the hit of the collection. This is definitely a more feminine scent and is simply fresh and floral. The Jasmine, Lily, Orange Flower, and Rose are so pretty and jasmine is the overarching note that I get when I wear this.
This collection is limited edition. Jo Malone is available exclusively at Holt Renfrew.
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See which multi-taskers left readers rosy and glowing … and which ones failed to impress |
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This is a TotalBeauty.com Makeup article Nothing says pretty and youthful quite like rosy lips and cheeks, but alas, most of us aren’t born with a perpetual glow and just-bitten lips. That’s where these lip and cheek stains come in. See which ones have earned a permanent spot in our readers’ makeup bags and which ones were tossed in the trash. |
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TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.0 |
 “My favorite lip stain ever,” says one reviewer. |
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TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.4 |
 “This is the one thing that never gets taken out of my purse,” says one enthusiastic reviewer. |
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TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.5 |
 “It lasts and lasts, and you can reapply if needed. Works perfectly on cheeks, too,” one reader says. |
Exclusive to Holt Renfrew stores, this collection will be available March 1st and features limited edition products.
The Amnesia Rose collection was a collaboration between L’Wren Scott and Bobbi Brown. Bobbi Brown did the makeup for her Fall 2013 collection and the colours that she used are packaged in a chic palette – along with four lipsticks.
The Amnesia Rose Palette ($79) seems pretty versatile – great for day or night, with a combination of matte and sparkly, light and dark shades. It includes:
Amnesia Rose Eye Shadow, Silver Lilac Sparkle Eye Shadow, Pink Lilac Sparkle Eye Shadow, Iron Eye Shadow, Ultra Violet Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Mulberry Eye Shadow, Desert Rose Pot Rouge, Sand Pink Blush.
The lipsticks ($33) are in limited edition packaging, and the colours available are:
Heather Mauve, Wine, Vintage Red, Cosmic Lily.
Blush. It actually drives me crazy. I love how it looks on other people (most of the time) and sometimes I love how it looks on me, but every once in a while I catch an image of too much blush, and I decide never to wear blush again. Plus, I like matching my blush to my lipstick, and my lipstick changes according to my mood, the weather, the time of day, so that makes matching blush a little impossible.
But then when I find a blush I like… well, then I’m on the blush bandwagon again.
Tom Ford Blush has got me back on the bandwagon.
At $65 it’s probably the most expensive blush that you will own, but the pan is nice and large so you can properly pick up enough product on your blush brush, and the blush is pigmented just-so that you can layer on lots or wear very sheerly and create a seamless finish. The lasting power? Basically all day.
Some of the colours do have shimmer in them. The shimmer is not undetectable, but it’s not nearly as distracting as, say, Nars Orgasm shimmer. I have the blush in Ravish, and it’s kind of a dark pinkish plum with a bit of coral in it. It’s natural looking on deeper complexions but anyone with a medium skin tone or lighter will need to use it with a lighter hand. The shimmer is lighter than the blush and makes skin look pretty and glowy.
Is this the only blush out there that can deliver? Probably not… but if you have to have Tom Ford, then know that this blush is a great one. It’s velvety, smooth, and just so easy to use.
Tom Ford products are sold at Holt Renfrew Bloor St. and Vancouver locations.
Want to take your skincare to the next level? Add a serum to the mix. Apply this after cleansing and toning, but before your moisturizer. You can use a serum morning and night, and a good one will be light-weight enough to use twice a day.
My most recent find is Philosophy’s When Hope is Not Enough antioxidant and firming serum. I love that it has a gel formulation which feels light and soothing on the skin. It absorbs quickly and is gentle enough to use all the time. Because it’s oil-free and so light, it’s suited for all skin-types. On an oily day, you’ll just need your sunblock on top, and those who have dry skin will need to use their regular moisturizer on top of this.
Because it’s so light and unassuming, this serum will fit into your beauty regimen easily and soon enough you’ll be wondering what you ever did without it!
After a few weeks of using this serum, I’ve found that my skin looks refreshed thanks to the vitamins C and E in this serum. It’s also smooth and thankfully, this water-based serum hasn’t irritated my skin at all.
Pick it up at Sephora for $49.
If you’re making plans for a night out on the town, then call your closest girlfriends and get tickets to the LOVE HER Gala that raises funds for Ovarian Cancer. Organized by Ovarian Cancer Canada and co-sponsored by CIBC, this gala takes place in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.
The Calgary event will be Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014 at the always-chic Hotel Arts. Guests will be treated to the musical stylings of Sophie Serafino and a fashion show by Oohh La La boutique.
If you happen to be from Vancouver, that event will take place on May 28 at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel where attendees will enjoy stunning panoramic views of the west coast.
Tickets to the Calgary event are usual $250 but as of right now, Early Bird tickets ($200) are still available and can be purchased online.
True story: I know someone who suffered from Ovarian Cancer. It turns out that mortality rates for the cancer are quite high because the detection rate is usually when the cancer is already in its advancing stages. Fundraising can help with better detection and more treatments. I truly support this cause and I hope that you do too!
I’ll be attending the Love Her Gala in Calgary and if you’re going, let me know, I’d love to see you there!
March 6th, 2014
Hotel Arts Calgary
6pm
