Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Dry Shampoo

As a fine haired girl with coloured hair, I use a lot of dry shampoo - the coloured hair part means I try not to wash it every day to preserve my colour while the fine haired part means that when I don't wash it every day, it looks limp and lifeless. Dry shampoo is a must-have but I must admit, a lot of brands smell terrible, chemical or like nothing at all - and if I'm not washing my hair and getting that nice clean smell I want to make sure it smells good which it always does now thanks to:

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Dry Shampoo - 37g - $18, 125g - $34 - a fine fragrance dry shampoo that refreshes, volumizes and texturizes while lightly perfuming hair with the sophisticated fragrance of Nirvana White containing notes of delicate peony, chic muguet and tender musk.

The multitasking water-free micro powder is enriched with natural rice starch to absorb oils instantly while adding body and texture to all hair types, leaving hair feeling fresh and clean without any residue. And fortified with style-extending proteins, rose root extract - for anti-oxidant protection and pro-vitamin B - to nourish the hair for strength, shine and bounce.

Available at Sephora and sephora.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon and Nirvana Rose

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen’s ultra-cool fragrance line Elizabeth and James introduces two new distinctive fragrances in their Nirvana Collection:

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon - 30ml EDP - $82, 50ml EDP - $107, 10ml EDP Rollerball - $30 - a bold, oriental-woody scent with a provocative blend of sultry vanilla bourbon, oakwood and a hint of tuberose with intoxicating confidence.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose - 30ml EDP - $82, 50ml EDP - $107, 10ml EDP Rollerball - $30 -  a seductive floral blend embodying the heart of a dark rose with notes of rose de mai, geranium and vetiver for a confident, refined scent with intrigue. 

The Rose De Mai is very distinctive, spicy rose with impressive staying power - it's too floral for my taste but rose lovers are going to like this one. On the other hand Vanilla Bourbon is perfect for anyone who loves vanilla but finds most vanilla fragrances too sweet - this is a smoky vanilla with a touch of floral that also lasts. I especially the love the bottles - Bourbon comes in an amber toned bottle with rich gold accents while Rose is in a scarlet toned bottle with rich gold accents - both blends feminine curves with contrasting architectural lines - they kind of remind me of a Zippo - which would be a really cool lighter!

Available now at Sephora and sephora.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Elizabeth and James Nirvana White and Nirvana Black

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's fashion brand - Elizabeth and James - named for their two less famous siblings, has launched a pair of new fragrances:

Nirvana White and Nirvana Black - 30ml EDP - $66, 50ml EDP - $90, 10ml EDP Rollerball  - $26, 15ml Pure Perfume Oil - $42, Solid Perfume Compact - $58 - described as sensual, edgy and mysterious:

Nirvana White is a musky-floral fragrance composed of peony, lily of the valley and musk. While Nirvana Black is a woody fragrance, dark and somewhat masculine although intended for both genders and is built around accords of violet, sandalwood and vanilla.

Neither of them really do it for me - I like the musk aspects of both of them but otherwise find White too floral and Black too manly - it smells great on my husband though!

Available now at Sephora and sephora.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Meet a Personal Style Coach and Shop for Your Body Shape

We all want to look good but where should we start? Whether you're entering the workforce or you're a mom who needs to get her groove back, image and fashion pros can help you kickstart your makeover. While stylists cater mostly to celebrities and wealthy clients, personal style coaches (or image consultants) help you pick the right clothes, and refine your image. I talked to Wendy Woods a Toronto based personal style coach and owner of The Refinery. Wendy offers one-on-one consultations and shopping tours.

- How did you become a personal style coach?

I worked in sales at IBM and I got inspired by my co-workers' passion. I studied business so I always knew I wanted to own my business at some point. So one day I decided to go to George Brown college and obtained a certificate in image consulting and I started from there.

- What's the difference between you and a stylist?

The stylist is more about fashion and trends, they dress celebrities (who by the way get a lot of free clothes) I'm more about everyday women. There is not much understanding out there about style. You need to understand your client's personality, body shape, lifestyle. I try to show my clients that they need few clothes. You should always buy clothes you love and perhaps less pieces. I help them pick quality key pieces for their wardrobe.

- I know exactly what you mean. I noticed how much women love to shop here. Back home (in France) we probably buy less clothes but we usually buy the best quality we can afford. It lasts longer and in the end, it's cheaper.

Exactly. I have less clothes than most of my clients. We should invest in high quality classic pieces, and play with the accessories. Quality is actually more affordable than people think.

- So how do you help the style-challenged?

If I were to do a full makeover, I'd start with a color analysis, to see what colors suit my client best. Then a wardrobe audit. We clean out their closet. Then we can start shopping for strategic pieces. I can go back to put some outfits together to suit their lifestyle.

-Who is your typical client?

I work mostly with women between 30 and 45. I'd love to work with younger women but they don't usually have the budget and they don't always realize a better image will get you promoted faster.

- That's true, I've noticed how people address me differently based on how I am dressed.

How do you teach your clients about body shape and what suits them?

First, I don't call people fruits (pear, apple). I use shapes, it's easier to understand. A triangle is a figure with larger hips, narrow shoulders, for example.

We look at the overall proportions, height, long legs or long torso etc...I help them identify the perfect pieces for their shape. We'd get an A-line skirt for a woman with larger hips for example.

- Do you always find what you want when you go shopping? Sometimes I come home empty handed.

Sometimes, you do have to wait for a good piece. Don't settle for something you don't love and remember tailoring is quite inexpensive and will help.

Understanding your body shape is key to buy what works for you:

Here is a selection of key pieces to flatter most body shapes:

Left - Classic A line skirt Jones New York ($64.99)

Center - Short Sequined A line skirt from Charlotte Russe ($23.99)

Right - Dolce & Gabbana Gingham dress ($895)

An A line skirt works for most body types but it's the best skirt for triangle body shapes. The flare hides your problem area. While a just-below-the knee length is ideal, if you've got great legs, flaunt them in a short A line skirt.

7 for all mankind boot cut jeans ($155)

Skinny jeans might look trendy but they are hard to pull off. The Boot Cut jeans is flattering for all body types. It elongates curvy figures and softens rectangular body shapes. 

Left - Origami Oversized T-shirt from Elizabeth & James ($195)

Right - Splendid jersey mini-dress ($120)

V neck tops draw the eye vertically along the body. No need to go for very plunging necklines. Moderation is the key here.

Wraps and flutter sleeves draw attention to the top of the figure rather than the waist or hips, so it's great for women with large busts. Wrap dresses are also great to create proportion and balance for nearly all figures.

Left - A day look in a Splendid Jersey wrap dress ($140)

Right - An evening look with a similar design by Issa, Silk-jersey wrap dress ($505) 

-Christelle-