June 30, 2010

Lancôme Gift with Purchase time is almost here at The Bay!

It's Lancôme GWP time at the Bay from July 8th to August 1st!  With any purchase of $45 or more of Lancôme products, choose everything in your gift!

CHOOSE YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE
High Résolution Refill-3x Triple Action Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15
High Résolution Collaser-5x Sérum collagène intense correcteur rides - 15 ml
OR
Absolue Premium ßx Absolute Replenishing Cream
Absolue Ultimate ßx Replenishing and Restructuring Serum
OR
Rénergie Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Treatment
Rénergie Microlift R.A.R.E. Intense Targeted Repositioning Lifter

CHOOSE YOUR CRAYON KHÔL
Le Crayon Khôl Eyeliner Pencil – Black Ebony OR Black Coffee

CHOOSE YOUR EYE MAKEUP PRODUCT
Définicils High Definition Mascara – Black
Hypnôse Custom Volume Mascara

CHOOSE YOUR LIP PRODUCT
Juicy Tube Lip Gloss – Pink Horizon
Color Design  Sensational Effects Lip Color - Wannabe

CHOOSE YOUR TOTE

To bring all your goodies home in!

Is there anything from Lancôme that you've been putting off buying waiting for Gift with Purchase time?

- Lisamarie - 

 

Spa Sister and LUSH treat your feet to make them sandal ready!

Now that flip flop season is here in earnest I've noticed that my feet look a little rough around the edges.  Daily foot massages would help but Christelle refuses so I am forced to take alternative action.  Luckily there are lots of products out there to help those with uncaring best friends - here's a few I've stumbled upon:

Spa Sister's Spoiled Girl Pedicure Kit - $15 - The set has everything you need for a perfect pedicure, including: Moisture Enhancing Socks, Relaxing Foot Soak, Foot Brush, Foot File and Toe Separators that come in a chic travel bag.
If you can convince your bestie or some random hot guy to rub your feet check out these Reflexology Socks - $9 - and I can only hope that your reflexology experience is more relaxing then the excruciating pain I experienced when I had it done at some swanky spa at Niagra-on-the-Lake.  I swear to god, I thought the woman was trying to kill me!  And I paid a lot more then nine bucks, that's for sure!


Spa Sister's products are available at www.bathaddiction.com










You can also check out the LUSH Sole Revival Kit - $20 - 7 products to perk up your tootsies!  Volcano foot mask, 2 Little Feet bath bombs, Running to the Embassy body butter, Lemony Flutter cuticle butter, Fair Trade foot lotion, and Pied de Pepper foot cream.

And if you need someone to practice on, give me a call, I love a foot rub (as long as you aren't that sadistic woman from the spa)!









- Lisamarie -

Most Ridiculous Menswear for Spring 2011 - Our Top 5!

I don't usually post about Men's fashion but the New York Magazine compiled a list of the most ridiculous menswear designs for this season and I have to say: there were a lot of hilarious pictures. These male models deserve every penny they make strutting their stuff: looking more ridiculous than a Zoolander on acid can't be easy. I wonder how they can wear cropped tops, dresses, lace tops and clown pants and still keep a straight face. But then, some of them wear worse outfits during Pride (it's Pride Week in Toronto and I'm getting ready to be dazzled)!

Here is my Top 5:



-Christelle-

June 29, 2010

Chanel Takes You to An Opulent Far East for Fall 2010

It was definitely my favorite collection this year: Chanel will seduce you too with this beautiful pre-fall 2010 campaign shot by Karl Lagerfeld. And look at that, you can even dress your man in Chanel! With a bit of luck he will look as pretty as Baptiste Giabiconi... well unless he threatens to walk out on you as you try to dress him with this olive jacket!







-Christelle-

If you needed proof that we were wonderful - here it is! (no we aren't really that conceited, it was a joke, geez!)

The very sweet Maricela from http://vividfusion.blogspot.com/ has just awarded us the ViViD.FuSiOn AwArD - aside from practically going blind from trying to read the name, we are thrilled and thank her!

This is actually our first blogging award and the first one Christelle has ever (other then the grand prize in the "best mustache" contest, but we don't like to talk about that, it makes her touchy) received!

Thanks again and as per the rules we are passing it on to the lovely author of Silhouette Screams who does the most amazing eye makeup which inspires much envy in me - envy is the same as love right?!

- Lisamarie -

Lady or the Tramp - MAC had them covered at the MMVAs!

If you read this blog at all then you know I am obsessed with reality television.  I especially love pretty much every show that MTV puts out because I am way too old to be watching that kind of crap which just makes it extra sweet for me!  So of course I am fascinated when the stars of said shows make an appearance in my fair city as did Whitney and Kristen for the MMVAs!

Whitney Port of The City - I don't even want to comment on Whitney's dress - her stylist is obviously blind and/or hates her but as usual her makeup looks pretty, understated and glowy.  Kristen Cavallari from The Hills however, looks like the man-stealing tramp that she is!  Would it surprise you to know that they are both wearing the same products on their eyes with such different effects?  I was - and the incredibly versatile products in question are MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack and Eye Kohl in Smolder.

I suppose they do have something else in common...bad taste in men!


- Lisamarie -

Vichy Cellu Destock Review

The never ending battle with my thighs continues.  You may be wondering what kind of crazy person tries endless products to try and fix a problem that just isn't fixable - hey, I'm not delusional, I know that there isn't a cream that exists that is ever going to give me totally smooth thighs - for that I would have to eat right and exercise and that's just crazy talk!  I'm just aiming for an improvement!

Vichy Cellu Destock Advanced Anti-Cellulite Care - 200ml - $53 -  uses 5% pure caffeine and lipocidine to minimize the appearance of cellulite.  The box informed me that some parts of the body are genetically programmed to stock fats (waist, hips, thighs, butt) and are less reactive to the caloric restriction of diets.  The science:  pure caffeine triggers with efficiency the lipids combustion and lipocidine is able to stimulate the expression of a protein that commands the elimination of the lipids during a calorie restriction.
What does that mean in normal people speak?  You can diet all you like but that doesn't mean that your body is going to get rid of your orangey peel goodness unless something tells it to and this cream aims to do just that!

Right away I loved the texture of this cream - it's a soft silky cream-gel in a funky colour of green.  I don't know what it is about green creams but I always have this mental perception that they work better.  Maybe I equate it with rubbing vegetables into my skin and everyone is always telling me how good vegetables are for me - so green cream must be just as good for my skin - I know, I have issues!  The cream absorbed easily, dried quickly and didn't leave a sticky feeling afterwards that you sometimes get with gels.

In a perfect world, you should be using this cream along with a diet (yes, that does mean cutting out chocolate cake) for it to be as effective as it's meant to be.  My dieting motivation doesn't last for more then a week at a time but I did pay careful attention during my diet-on weeks and I will say that the results were more obvious during those weeks and my skin was smoother.  Even during my diet-off weeks the cream did make a difference but it wasn't as dramatic.

I would buy Vichy Cellu Destock again and would even use it as a daily body moisturizer, I liked the texture that much!  If you have a similar cellulite obsession and are looking for a new cream - this one is definitely worth a try!

- Lisamarie -

Dior brings us palettes to lust after exclusively at Holt Renfrew!

If there is anything I love more then a limited edition palette, I don't know what it is Check out these awesomely adorable palettes from Dior exclusively at Holt Renfrew:

Celebrating the Dior "new look" is Rene Gruau's iconic sketch stamped on this Tallieur eyeshadow palette.  It comes with a Serum de Rouge Lipstick and can be yours for $100.
And if that wasn't enough - how about this Love Dior palette - 5 shades of eyeshadows in a signature palette and a Dior Vernis 928 LOVE nail polish - $100 - what's not to love?!

And there's really no point in asking crazy questions like "which one are you going to get Lisamarie?" now is there...?

Available now at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Illamasqua Spring / Summer 2010 Collection - Body Electrics

If you weren't already convinced that there's a conspiracy against Canadians then the Illamasqua makeup line should make it very clear to you.  Weren't we all thrilled last fall when we learnt that Illamasqua was going to be making its way to Sephora? - I figured that even if it didn't appear in our stores we would at least be able to order it online.  Nope, for some unfathomable reason, it is one of those brands that Sephora won't let Canadians order.  There are other brands that we also get screwed on but they are usually skincare lines and I can only assume that there is some ingredient in those products that are on the Health Canada no-no list.  I can't imagine what could be in makeup that Health Canada would take issue with, but there you go!  Take heart, Illamasqua is still available on their website and they will ship to Canada!

If you haven't already checked out the Summer collection you really need to hop to it, lots of the products are limited edition!

4-Colour Liquid Metal Palette - $42.50 - contains 4 metallic shades that are rich and highly pigmented.  Can be used on eyes, face and body.  Solstice - gold, Enrapture - bronze, Surge - platinum and Phenomena - silver.  Can be applied with your fingers or a brush.

Gleam Cream - $36 - Flex - soft pink iridescent - a lightweight cream that is suitable for face and body.  Can be used on its own or mixed with foundation for a brightening effect. 

Liquid Metal - $26 - Surge - metallic steel or Phenomenon - metallic silver - highly pigmented cream for use on eyes, face and body.

Powdered Metal - $36 - Thalia - golden tan shimmer - loose metallic powder for face and body.

Powder Eye Shadow - $20 - Imagine - electric blue or Can Can - violet - a vibrant matte colour which makes a fabulous liner for a pop of colour.  The texture is very silky and glides on easily.

Pure Pigment - $24 - Static - white with iridescent pink and violet flecks or Furore - beige shimmer - a metallic, high-shine, pure-colour powder that highlights eyes, cheeks and brows.  Can be mixed with eye shadow, blusher on use on its own.

Sheer Lipgloss - $20 - Divine - hot pink
Bronzer Duo - $30 - Glint/Burnish - soft luminous peach/golden bronze - for a sun kissed shimmer

Canadian girls can get their fix at http://www.illamasqua.com/ 

- Lisamarie -

June 28, 2010

Lip Glosses Can Do it All! Heal, Color, Luminize with Pixi, Rimmel, Dior & Shiseido

For the last few months I have been experimenting with lip gloss. Here are my picks:
Pixi Lip Gloss ($15) - I love this lip gloss! It has a light honey scent, its texture is also slightly sticky which is great as it makes the gloss lasts longer. But the best part for me was this lip gloss' healing properties: added antioxidants and vitamins help your lips feel smoother! A must-have this summer.



 
I also liked the Stay Glossy lip gloss from Rimmel ($10, Timeless Allure) which has a good staying power and the color I tried (Timeless Allure) actually shows on my lips unlike many glosses which are really shear.


The Ultra Gloss from Christian Dior ($25, glow) has a beautiful package. This gloss is ultra shiny and the soft brush makes it a joy to apply.



The Shiseido Luminizing Lip gloss ($22) is light and very shear but it reflects the light really well, making this gloss incredibly shiny. I mix it with a neutral Shiseido lipstick for a great nude makeup.


-Christelle-

Yves Saint Laurent - Summer Look 2010

I love a vibrant summer collection and YSL has not disappointed me with this one!  And of course the packaging is heavy and beautiful and just so luxurious looking!  Any must haves for you from this one?

Terre Saharienne - new basic product - $60 - No1 - Sand - No2 - Copper Sand or No3 - Golden Sand - provide a healthy glow through the incorporation of "sun radiance" pigments - special effect pigments that capture the light and diffuse a golden reflection in all directions.

Fard Lumière Aquarésistant - $35 - No19 - Riviera Blue (new limited edition) or No5 - Golden Sands (new basic shade) - long wear, waterproof luminous cream eyeshadow - the model has used the blue one as a liner and it looks stunning!

Rouge Pure Shine - $35 - No93 - Pink Lychee or No94 - Blood Orange - both new limited edition shades

La Laque - $24 - No42 - Ultra Violet (new basic) or No142 - Ultra Orange (new limited edition) - I love how vibrant these colours are - that orange is screaming summer pedicure!

Mascara Aquaresistant - $36 - No7 - Blue Lagoon (new basic) lengthening, thickening and waterproof

Touche Brillance - $35 - No18 - Coral Sunset or No19 - Fuchsia Sunrise (both new basic) - make your lips sparkle with a convenient click pen.

Gloss Pur - $34 - No7 - Pure Sorbet, No8 - Pure Watermelon, No9 - Pure Hibiscus or No10 - Pure Redcurrant (all new basic) - gloss without the sparkle and a refreshing mango scent.

Available now at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Head & Shoulders and Dermaglow have your scalp covered this summer!

Here's something you probably don't give any thought to in the summer - your scalp!  Dryness, redness, itch and flakes can actually be a year-round condition that can occur during both the winter and summer.  Now I have always been scared of dandruff shampoos because I understood that they weren't appropriate for colour treated hair - seems that this is a myth, and that my colour would be perfectly safe using Head & Shoulders which if you haven't looked at it lately, has made some changes to their lineup which features several collections with refreshing fragrances and light formulas which are great for summer scalp care!

My scalp tends to be an issue more during the cold months but the Ocean Lift scent is so summery that I couldn't resist trying it.  It is available in shampoo, conditioner and 2 in  - $7.99.  I found it light and easy to rinse out and I liked that a little bit of the fragrance lingered in my hair!  Other summer suited collections is the Citrus Breeze line which is formulated with citrus extracts or Refresh with naturally sourced mint.  All of them are pH balanced and contain pyrithione zinc as the active, dandruff fighting ingredient.

And now that you've done all that work to get your scalp all pretty and healthy, don't forget that it needs sunscreen too!  A hat is always your best bet for protection but if you aren't going to be wearing one, and especially if you have a distinct part in your hair and a lot of your scalp is exposed you really need to use sun protection.  A spray is the easiest way to get your own head and I am a fan of Dermaglow 70 SPF Body Mist - 141g - $27.50.  It's waterproof and I don't find it greasy - which is a good thing considering that you can't help but get some in your hair!

- Lisamarie -

June 26, 2010

Brian Bailey is looking to simplify your makeup routine - if you like that kind of thing!

I have been hearing some crazy buzz going around - did you know that some woman don't enjoy having 5 million products and a makeup routine that takes up most of their waking hours?  I know, crazy right!?!  While I have been trying to wrap my brain around this concept, designer and Project Runway Canada mentor Brian Bailey has been taking it seriously and come out with a streamlined makeup collection for women in a hurry - 5 Easy Pieces - it consists of a foundation duo (available in 6 shades from fair to deep), a blush duo, eyeshadow duo, lipgloss and eyebrow pencil all for $129.  You can also buy the products separately because of course no one runs out of foundation and blush at the same time!

Exclusively at The Shopping Channel and you can find it at wwwtheshoppingchannel.com/baileycosmetics

- Lisamarie -

June 25, 2010

Guest Post - What do Sephora for OPI Chic Prints for Nails and Vampires have in common? They Both SUCK!



Hi everyone.  Lisamarie has asked that I write a review for you all.  You might know me from Pinksith.com blog.  Yep. I’m Elvira, the taupe eyeshadow obsessed woman.  If you have never heard of me, that’s OK too. I love getting new readers and anyone that enjoys Beauty Crazed might enjoy my blog as well.  So why am I writing for Beauty Crazed?

Well I’ll tell you why.

Lisamarie Woo’d me.

Several weeks ago I said I had a desire to try out the New Sephora for OPI Chic Prints for Nails.  Lisamarie, being the generous Canadian that she is, told me she had received a set of these nail patches in a promotional package and was wondering if I would like to have them.  You see when it comes to nail stuff I am easily swayed.  The siren song of faux Minx type nails was wooing me.  At $15 (USD) a set I wasn’t wooed all that much, but when Lisamarie said she would send them free…well…let the wooing begin!  Woo!


In a few weeks I received a envelope from Canada and inside was the Sephora for OPI Chic Prints for Nails in the pink and blue checker pattern.  Still in awe that a) I got these gratis and b) they arrived in just a few days from CANADA, I immediately began to remove my nail polish and get started using these suckers.  Note. Sucker is a key word to this review.  Keep it in mind for later.



I read the directions carefully.
I started with clean dry nails
I pre matched the sizes of the Chic Prints patches to the appropriate fingers.
I used friction (i.e. rubbing my finger on the decal prior to lifting off the plastic sheet) to heat up the Chic Print nail patch and then I applied it carefully to my fingernail.

I think to myself, “Humm.  It’s not exactly the size of my nail bed.  There is a little gap on one side.  Meh. That’s OK.  No one will notice.” (Famous last words)

I clip with scissors and file the excess nail decal off and try to get the edge as close to the end of my nail as possible.

I say out loud, “Humm.  These don’t “file off” as easily, as promised in the directions.  Hey is that corner where that gap is, starting to lift?  Grrr.”
I apply more of the Chic Prints "decals" to my nails and each one is a challenge. One has a fold, another has a bubble underneath the decal, some just don’t want to file down others just don’t fit my nail no matter how much I trim them.  My nails are starting to look like a bored 5th grade girl’s classroom experiment.  I basically have stickers on my nails and it shows.  I mean it really shows.

My 3 year old son takes one look at my fingers and says. “What’s that Mommy?” as he closely inspects my hands.  I tell him it’s my new nails.  He, upon closer inspection, says, "Why is this one not working?" Pointing to the nail with the gap and the edge that is starting to lift.  I shoo him away and inspect my sad manicure.

I start to get annoyed that the "stickers" (I won’t even call them “Chic Prints patches” anymore) are looking so sorry. The edges aren’t smoothed down by using a nail file, there are folds and lifting and ...well….I hate it. 

Not to mention that the color for the blue in the pink & blue checker looks like it was done on a dot matrix printer because it’s streaky. Yuk. 

I last 6 hours with the stupid "stickers" on my nails.  After I get out of the shower they are all lifting off in various places and look downright tacky.


Whilst blow-drying my hair I put my nails in the direction of the hot air to loosen up the demonic "stickers" and take them off my nails.  I was too rushed on one nail and took a good millimeter of actual nail with the sticker.  Note to readers. If you are foolish enough to even try these PLEASE make sure that you heat them up enough to get them off. You don’t want to damage your nails like I did.

All in all these Sephora for OPI Chic Prints for nails were NOTHING like a Minx manicure.  What puzzles me is that they are getting rave reviews on the Sephora.com website.  Who are these women that are having success with them?  I know I’m not a manicurist but I’m pretty decent with nail stuff.  I have no idea why these women love these "crap on a plastic sheet" so much.  Am I not as dexterous with nail applications as I once thought?  Are my standards too high? Do I scrutinize too much?

Was I distracted by watching Alexander Skarsgård play Eric Northman on HBO’s “True Blood” while applying these “things” to my nails? (OK maybe a little. He is so freakin HOT) but that’s beside the point.  If anything, these should be easier to apply.  Make them mistake proof so a ham handed fool like me can enjoy them.  They should conform to your nail so an obsessive compulsive perfectionist like me won’t keep looking at the edges trying to file them down…just a little more to make them “perfect”.

Do you NEED these?  Heck no!  Thank you to Lisamarie for sending them to me. Because I would be pretty mad if I spent actual money on these things.  If I had, I would have been a real sucker.

- Elvira -