July 31, 2010

Weekend Fun: Joe Zee Likes Wearing Yeti Chanel Suits...

So what do you do when you have a crazy Chanel outfit in your hands and some spare time in NYC? Joe Zee from Elle Magazine shows you how to have fun!

This jumpsuit is part of the last winter collection so it takes a brave man to even attempt to wear it now! This reminds me of people who would wear any crap as long as it has a label on it...
-Christelle-









July 30, 2010

Flat hair to fat hair with the new 2 minute mask from Ojon Hair!

You know by now that I am hair obsessed and am always looking for the latest and greatest to suit my fine hair.  When Ojon came out with their newest mask specifically for fine hair I knew I had to try it and then realized that I had other Ojon products that for some reason I have never talked about.





Volumizing 2-min Hair Mask - 197ml - $38 - This is the newest offering from Ojon is an intensive in-shower treatment that thickens and volumizes fine hair.  I really like the fresh, floral smell which is totally different then the distinctive "nutty" smell that Ojon products usually have. This one is great if you like to deep-condition in the shower but don't like having to hang out there for the 5-10 minutes that it usually takes.  This one stays on for just 2 minutes!  It has a creamy, paste type texture that you might think won't rinse out easily, but you would be wrong - it rinsed away easily and there was no residue left behind - no residue left behind - incidentally would make a great tagline for a military conditioner - don't know why I'm not in marketing!  Most importantly for us fine haired gals, it didn't weigh my hair down at all - my hair felt light and bouncy when it was dry and it actually had some body! So overall I am very pleased with this new find!


Leave-in Glossing Cream - 125ml - $32 - a daily boost of high-gloss moisture, repairs and softens, adds a satiny gloss finish, intensifies hair colour, locks in moisture - I use a tiny amount of this on dry hair to tame frizzies and add shine.  The only thing I don't love is the smell - but this does a good enough job that I can overlook it.

Revitalizing Mist - 142ml - $28 - a refreshing, weightless, leave-in detangler and conditioner - A couple of sprays of this on wet hair and the comb runs through easily and less damage is done by my blowdryer or flat iron.

You can find the new mask in Canada at The Shopping Channel, Murale and www.ojon.com or in the States at Ulta, QVC and www.ojon.com.  Ojon is also carried at Sephora and sephora.com but they don't have the mask.

- Lisamarie -

July 29, 2010

Tiffany & Co. are set to charm you!

Some accessories never die and the charm bracelet would be one of them!  Lately there has been such a resurgence of interest in charms that the Tiffany Charm Bar was created so that customers could touch and play and personalize a charm bracelet to their heat's content.  Personally I like the way a single charm on a link bracelet or fine chain looks and the ones above are my current faves:

Cupcake charm - sterling silver and enamel - $210
Handbag charm - platinum with diamonds and enamel - $2,700
Tiffany & Co. Shopping Bag charm - sterling silver and enamel - $210

I guess I have expensive taste but there are also charms starting at $95 and various charms come in gold, silver and platinum.

Go experience some charm porn for yourself at the website here.

What do you think about the charm craze?

- Lisamarie -

H&M Loves The Hood for Fall 2010!


This upcoming H&M fall collection has a definite urban vibe: hoodies, shorts and harem pants make this collection badass and comfortable. Prints and patterns appear on over-sized scarves for those who don't want to wear just black in the winter. I love the first outfit, it's funky and sexy: just like me Lisamarie!




All pictures: Courtesy of H&M / Hasse Nielsen

-Christelle-

It's All about The Hair: Best Celebrity Hairstyles for 2010

Picture: Elle/John Shearer/WireImage
It seems that we're not the only hair obsessed people around here! Elle Magazine has polled the  top 100 hair salons in the US to select the best celebrity hairstyles. While most celebrities have gorgeous hair (except maybe for you, Britney!)....because they can afford the best, you will find many long and straight hairstyles on that list and frankly, I'd like to see more curls, more edge - the list is quite conservative as you'll see.



I'm currently testing the John Frieda's Brillant Brunette liquid shine illuminating conditioner - review to come soon - and I've just noticed on their US website: you can get a free liquid shine conditioner with the purchase of a liquid shine shampoo (stocks are limited!).

-Christelle-

July 28, 2010

It's All About The Eyes: from Magazines to Your Makeup Box!

Picture: Vogue Japan/Nathaniel Goldberg

This picture from a July editorial in the Japanese Vogue sent me into a purple frenzy... not that I could ever reproduce this amazing makeup but I had a sudden need craving for purple eyeshadow. Whooosh... I added it to my wish list!





Ombre Magnétique - Eyeshadow from Lancôme ($25) - this shade named "Cherry Chérie" is a deep sparkly plum, I love it. I've been using Lancôme eyeshadows for the longest time: I remember stealing my mom's when I was a teenager. They always had shades that would show on black skin and in the 90's it wasn't so common.





I think this gold  YSL cream eyeshadow will complete this look very nicely - Fard Lumière Aquarésistant ($35) -  No5  Golden Sands.



Picture: Marie-Claire/David Roemer

In Marie-Claire, the green eyeshadow maybe a tad over the top but it's freaking amazing!
MAC has a couple of similar shades in their Dare to Wear Collection  like the Sassy Green shade - but it's matte.


The MAC "Partylicious" pigment from the Alice+Olivia collection ($23.50) is more in keeping with this look eventhough it's a turquoise.


This sparkly light green - "Green Goddess" eyeshadow from Urban Decay ($17) is an alternative.



Picture: Elle/Dusan Reljin

Noémie Lenoir sparkles in Elle, her eyes pop with black and white eyeliners.


Pure White Soft Khol (Rimmel, $3.60) to apply on your waterline to get this retro look.



If white pencil is too much for you - Lise Watier Duo Yeux Ombre et Lumière Liner  ($20) has pastels pencils instead.

-Christelle-

Goodies from Goody - Contest!

I love headbands, they're one of my favourite hair accessories - but I must admit, I usually end my taking the off halfway through the day because they tend to end up digging into my head and causing me pain!  The clever folks at Goody have obviously had the same problem and solved it by bringing us the Goody Ouchless Flex Pressure-Free Headband - $4.99.  It has comfort flex tips, meaning the end bits actually bend so you can angle them away from your head - how smart is that!?!  They come in different colours and widths so you should be able to find something to go with any outfit you can think of!

Now I'm not willing to give up my beloved headband but I do have a box full of great stuff from Goody that wants to come live at your place - $100 worth of combs, clips, barrettes, pins, ties and everything else you can think of to stick in your hair - sound good?  Want in?  I know, stupid question!

This contest is open to everyone, everywhere. All you have to do is join Beauty Crazed as a follower if you aren't one already.  You can either do it through Google or through Networked Blogs on Facebook - you can find both signups on the right hand side of the Beauty Crazed site.  Once you belong to our crazy family just leave a reply to this post letting us know you want in and what your favourite hair accessory is.   If you give the contest link a tweet and/or post it on your blog, there's an extra entry in it for you! Including an e-mail address would be extra helpful and you can write it like this - info(at)beautycrazed(dot)ca - so the bots can't find you but we can.  If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter and then e-mail us your info - info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Goody Contest" in the subject line.  Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until August 20th to enter. 

- Lisamarie -

July 27, 2010

Whiten Up! EvoraPlus and GO SMiLE to the rescue!

Tooth whitening seems to be a North American obsession - I actually think it's getting to a very scary place with way too many people running around with glow-in-the-dark-white chiclet teeth!  Beautifully (in a normal way) white teeth are definitely something to strive for and here are a couple of ways to achieve it:

Oragenics EvoraPlus - $21.27 for a 30 day supply from drugstore.com for Canadians - is the first ever all natural probiotic teeth whitening mint.  You've probably heard lots about probiotics for digestive health (I LOATHE those yogurt ads!) and this is the same kind of deal but for your mouth.  People use mouthwash and the like trying to kill the bacteria in their mouth but of course there are lots of different types that live in your mouth, some of which are helpful to us.  When the EvoraPlus mint melts on the tongue, the freeze-dried probiotics activate and attach themselves to the teeth and gum tissue, establishing colonies of active bacteria both on the surface of the teeth and deep beneath the gum line.  These colonies compete for nutrients and interfere with the harmful oral bacteria that disrupt gum and tooth health, and also cause bad breath.

I was very excited to have hoards of probiotics hanging out in my mouth doing their thing so I started popping a mint twice a day 30 days ago.  They taste light and minty and they really do a much better job of freshening breath then mouthwash does - which I generally find too strong and am not a fan.  I had my teeth professionally whitened a few years ago so I wasn't really looking for the mints to make me whiter but to help with staining as they do tend to stain quite easily now - and it was great for that, I didn't have to use any touch up products to get rid of staining as I normally did before starting to use the mints. 

If you like natural products, dislike mouthwash or just think it's fun to pop pills then EvoraPlus is worth a try!  Canadians can go here to buy and Americans can go here.
GO SMiLE Fresh Mint Touch Up Smile Perfecting Ampoules - $39 for 30 day supply - is my other choice for stain removal/whitening.  These are super handy and small enough to keep in the tiniest of  purses.  Each one contains  a daily-use level of hydrogen peroxide and is simple to use.  It even comes in green apple and watermelon flavours if you are so inclined.  You can find these at Sephora and Canadians can also find them at The Shopping Channel where you can even purchase it on Auto Delivery - meaning that a new batch will show up at your door every month - excellent for the absentminded!

- Lisamarie -

Gisele is Hot like Fire in Roberto Cavalli's Fall Campaign!



Gisele poses for the new Roberto Cavalli's fall ad campaign to celebrate his 40th anniversary! While Gisele is my favorite model, I think this campaign is a little too photoshopped... nevertheless, Gisele is the hotness!


-Christelle-

July 26, 2010

Maybelline: The Power of the 4 XXL Pro Mascaras!

Most mascaras these days are pretty decent but finding the right mascara for your lashes can be a challenge. Maybelline has come out with 4 different mascaras with 4 different brush shapes to achieve different results.

All the XXL Pro™mascaras  include a 2-step application. One brush coats, builds volume, tames or curls while the second brush finishes off the application and adds color. The application doesn't take too long but you need to dedicate a couple of minutes to apply it properly. They were all clump free and had good lasting power (if a mascara tends to run, by the end of the day I can feel my eyes burning, that's how I know the mascara is still on my lashes and not inside my eyes!)


Maybelline  XXL Pro™ 24hr Bold
If you need long, big lashes with a long lasting effect. The first brush is surprisingly small but it's because it grabs all the small lashes. You can't really see the shape of the second brush  in this picture, but it's not your average brush, it's almost square and really helps with building up volume. it was a little awkward to apply the first time but I liked this one.




 This XXL Pro™ Volume is probably my favorite: I need volume so this one suits my lashes (like the 24hr bold) but I find it easier to apply.




While this XXL Pro™ Curl mascara doesn't really suit my needs, it really works! It does curl your lashes to a 45 degrees angle thanks to the curved brushes. It curls the side of your eyelashes, so it's a more subtle look.





This  XXL Pro™ Extensions mascara tames and extends lashes. I have crazy hair that needs taming so I understand that some ladies may need the same for their crazy lashes. This one doesn't build too much volume, it's all about smoothing and elongating the lashes.

Whatever you need to do with your eyelashes (volume, curl, taming etc...) there is a mascara for everyone here, really. They are all reasonably priced ($9.95) and can be purchased everywhere.


-Christelle-


My vacation discoveries from Vasanti, La Coupe and Skindinävia

I'm back!  You may or may not have realized that I have been away on vacation for the past week!  I had all my posts scheduled but you probably cried when I didn't answer your comments so please know, I wasn't ignoring you, I just wasn't here!  Anyhow, I spent a lovely relaxing week in Nova Scotia lounging on a deck right by the ocean but of course I wasn't taking a vacation from trying new products! Traveling is a great excuse to use the billion samples that I own but it was also great for testing a few products that are on my shelves:


Vasanti Eye Wonder - 20ml - $42 - contains six active ingredients to combat fine lines, puffiness and dark circles - it's meant to be used day and night for 36 days and then once a day to maintain results.  Since I normally use separate eye creams for day and night a vacation coming up seemed like a perfect time to start using this so I would be able to pack less.  I have been using it for about a month now and I really like how light it is but at the same time still very moisturizing - I can't speak to dark circles as mine are minimal at the worst of times - but as far as puffiness and fine lines go, it is doing a good job for me.  Funnily enough, this is the only skin care product in the whole Vasanti Cosmetics line and it's a winner!  You can pick it up at selected Shoppers Drug Marts, Rexalls  Amazon.com or at www.vasanticosmetics.com


La Coupe Voluptress - 150ml - $7.99 - I thought this would be a great packing choice as it promised me hold, smoothness and body all together in one bottle.  It's a cream gel formula which is very light and not at all sticky.  It's meant to be used in wet hair before blow drying or rollering but can also be used in dry hair for protection and shine.  I used it both ways and you definitely need the dryer to get the volume but on dry hair it did do a nice job of smoothing down the frizzies and adding some shine.  I got really amazing lift with this when I blow dried upside down, which I normally do for the root lift, but adding La Coupe gave it much better staying power!
Skindinävia No More Shine Makeup Finish - 1oz - $12.50, 2oz - $19, 4oz - $29, 6oz - $39 - each ounce = about a month supply - helps control shine and absorb excess oil, helps reduce appearance of makeup smudging or creasing, helps reduce makeup slippage into pores, lines, wrinkles, or scars, surface cooling technology holds temperature to avoid melting or sliding - I have been a longtime fan of their 10 Years Younger Makeup Finish, which sets makeup and gives my skin a kind of dewy look so I was very excited to try this one and thought my vacation was the perfect testing ground.  The one thing that was different about this mist was that it is meant to be used underneath your makeup - like a primer - rather than over it as I was used to.  This is why you should read the directions on things!  So the first day I couldn't understand why it wasn't doing all the things that it had promised me - once I figured out the correct way to use it, it really did an admirable job of preventing hot weather foundation slippage


They have lots of other different formulations for Bridal, Dance etc. and Urban Decay has even got Skindinävia making their makeup finishes as well now.  You can go to http://www.skindinavia.com to check it all out.

- Lisamarie - 

July 24, 2010

A Week of (Wacky) Style with The Stars! From The Circus to The Bedroom.


Rihanna's hair looks great in a Woody Woodpecker kind of way. I keep on telling you that I could make outfits for Rihanna with my stickers and my Crayolas and this is another example that it can be done! Maybe this would have been better as a dress instead of my worst fashion nightmare: THE JUMPSUIT.


When your name is Chantelle you should wear a pretty bra! Although she's still in her 20's, this trashy reality TV star's breast implants (oh how I love her!) have migrated way south, probably trying to run away from her face....

Cat? What is this mess? I don't understand this dress, it looks so random!

-Christelle-



July 23, 2010

Christina Aguilera Can Keep Her Clothes on. Yes She Can!

Talk about extremes! In her previous video, Christina Aguilera was dressed like a dominatrix in heat but this new video is very very tame (perhaps too much?): she's wearing SLEEVES! Shocking!
This video is all about feelings and stuff... and some random dude's biceps. I approve!



-Christelle-

Benefit the POREfessional wants your pores to disappear!

Benefit has a new product for the pore-obsessed - Benefit the POREfessional - 22ml - $34 - it's a lightweight, translucent, oil-free, dual-action - to prime & touch up during the day and can be used both under and over makeup.

Now with all the fixations I have, my pores really aren't one of them, but I sure know plenty of people who obsess endlessly over theirs (yes Julie, I am talking to you!) so as a public service, of course I had to try it.

This is meant to be used as a primer under your makeup as well as a touch up during the day over your makeup in any "pore affected" areas. The only place I really have noticeable pores is on and around my nose so that is where I used it under my foundation.  I figured it would be a waste of product to use it over my entire face and this would be a good way to make the tube last longer.

The verdict - it really did do an excellent job of making my pores disappear but I thought it did a better job on me over my foundation so I stopped using it underneath.  I was worried it would feel heavy or gunky with all that layering but it really didn't - it's very light and soft.  The only thing to keep in mind is to not rub it in too hard when you apply it on top of your foundation or you end up rubbing the foundation off your nose!  I think this will be a must-have product for pore-addicts (yes Julie, I'll buy you one for Christmas!) and even good for non-makeup wearers (I hear they exist) as you can wear this balm by itself to give your skin a more polished look.

- Lisamarie -

July 22, 2010

Vasanti Cosmetics is sun inspired for summer!

I find summer makeup tricky, especially when it's as hot out as it has been lately.  Of course I love makeup and want to wear it but I try not to do anything too bright because then it just becomes obvious when it starts sliding down my face.  The Vasanti summer collection is a great hot weather choice, the colours are more natural but still shimmery as summer colours should be - here's what's in the collection:

Manhattan 24/7 Eye Colour Palette - $40 - from pale pink to coppery burgundy all five shades in this palette are very wearable.  The burgundy also makes an excellent liner!










Casablanca Eyeshadow - $15 - shimmery champagne - this has become my "go to" colour for my lazy morning where I can't deal with anything more then an all-over wash  - it's a "you" but better colour!
The Bronze Age Shimmer Powder - $14 - I love shimmer powders and I love this colour but deep in my heart, I know it would look better on someone with a tan (or at least a skin tone with some pigmentation!)
Andres Blush - $15 - they describe it as slightly coral and it might even look coralish in the picture but I don't get that in person - I find it very nudish, it actually reminds me a lot of Urban Decay X - whatever colour it is, it's very subtle and wearable and would actually make a good bronzer for the very pale.
Tinted Lip Balm - $15 - Columbia - sheer summer brown or St. Lucia - neutral pink - enriched with mango butter for hydration - if you love a tinted lip balm you need to try the Vasanti ones - they look good, they have no smell and they are super moisturizing!

- Lisamarie -

July 21, 2010

MAC Digi-Dazzle - it's like a crayola box full of lipstick!

MAC feels bad that they haven't put out very many collections lately and they hope this will make it up to you!

I feel slightly appeased - lipsticks all together like this remind me of candy - yummy!

Dazzle Lipstick - $16.50
Baby's On Fire - deep red
Glaringly Hip - light peach
Hellraiser - light lavender
Hot Sass - bright orange
Infused With Glam - copper brown
Liquid Lurex - tarnished golden
Naughty You - neon pink
Smash Hit - white beige
Snazzy - deep plum
Sweet Bits - light lavender pink
Troublemaker - magenta
Wham - plum brown
Win-Win - light pink

Coming your way August 5th and you won't want to wait, who knows when MAC will come out with another collection!

- Lisamarie -

Fall for Aubade!


After attending last week's lingerie runway show, I went right to Aubade's website and selected a few designs to check out during my next shopping trip -and just so you know: I only go lingerie shopping once a year!- Here is a snippet of the fall collection, enjoy!

Pictures: Aubade

-Christelle-