Banana Republic inspired by Anna Karenina for Holiday 2012!

You may have hear that their a movie version of Anna Karenia coming your way this fall and nothing goes better with a epic 19th century love story then a holiday capsule collection inspired by the luxurious fashions!

Banana Republic has one coming your way curated by twice-Academy Award-nominated Anna Karenina costume designer Jacqueline Durran. Designed by Banana Republic, it is inspired by the film and re-imagined through a modern fashion lens.

Encouraging a return to elegance evocative of the era of Anna Karenina, the capsule features modern pieces for men and women, including polished, feminine looks for her and tailored styles for him. Reflective of the film’s high-society period, the capsule presents a modern-day collection including alluring embellishments, luxe fabrics, and romantic styles.

The Banana Republic Anna Karenina collection includes statement accessories and apparel fashioned with velvet, faux fur, lace, and a touch of sparkle that embody the style of the era. Working alongside Kneen, Durran pulled a selection of her favourites from the collection, which would become the capsule. These looks were most reflective of the film’s aesthetic, whether representative of a specific character personality or a modern translation of one of the film’s elegant costume pieces.

Let me tell you, I haven't looked forward to a Banana Republic collection so much since Mad Men! All the fur touches are making me drool and I just love everything about the outfit above!

The Banana Republic Anna Karenina collection launches exclusively at Banana Republic North America retail locations and online in late October, building up to the much-anticipated movie debut this November. 

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Dot Marc Jacobs

I was at Shoppers the other day where I came across Marc Jacobs latest acid trip otherwise known as the bottle for his latest fragrance Dot!

Inspired by his love of polka dots, it's meant to be an iconic symbol of charm and elegance - a stylish, offbeat motif that is energetic and full of life.

Dot Marc Jacobs - 50ml EDP - $79, 100ml EDP - $105, Body Lotion - 150ml - $49 - a lush juicy floral with top notes of red berries, dragonfruit and honeysuckle; heart notes of jasmine, coconut water and orange blossom; and base notes of vanilla, driftwood and musk.

The fragrance is available at The Bay, Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy, Murale, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Jean Coutu and Sephora - while the body lotion will only be available at The Bay, Holt Renfrew and Murale.

Is the bottle a little too coo coo for cocoa puffs? Maybe so but who can say no to a good acid trip!?

- Lisamarie -

Get an eye-full of our mega shadow giveaway! Contest

Can one have too much eyeshadow? I say no but when the collection starts getting out of hand it may be time to let some of it go (so I have an excuse to buy more)! My purge is your gain, here are the little darlings that I'm setting free:

Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow - 92 Rose de Mai - from the Spring 2012 collection
Givenchy Ombre a Fleur de Peau - Pearly Nude - from the Summer 2012 collection
Yves Saint Laurent Ombre Solo Lasting Radiance Soothing Eye Shadow - 4 Midnight Purple - from the Spring 2012 collection
Dior 5 Couleurs Croisette Edition Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette - 654 Aurora - from the Summer 2012 collection
Guerlain 4 Couleurs Long Lasting Eyeshadows - Les Noirs - from the Fall 2011 collection
Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Ultra Mattes Palette - Brights
It Cosmetics Luxe High Performance Eyeshadow Trio - Naturally Pretty In Plum
Smashbox Eye Shadow Trio
MAC Eye Shadow - Haunting
Clinque Lid Smoothie - Born Freesia, Pinkgo Biloba & Currant Affair
Cargo Color Palette - K251

GOSH Mono Eye Shadow - 015 Aubergine

Lise Watier Wet & Dry Eyeshadow Quartet - Equinoxe - from the Fall 2011 collection

Quo Eye Shadow Palette - Wave of Colour - from the Summer 2012 collection

Avon Extra Lasing Eyeshadow - Terracotta, Rose Mist & Crushed Violet

Deca Mineral Eyeshadow - 110 Slate

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color Bundle - Brilliant Blue Eyes

Mary Kay Be Radiant Baked Powder - Dawn - from the Fall 2010 collection

Marcelle Lux Eye Dust - Vegas, Illusion, Bronze Millionaire & High Voltage

Annabelle Eyeshadow Palette - Hawaian Hues - from the Summer 2012 collection

Almay Intense I-Color - Satin-i For Greens

Maybelline EyeStudio Quads - Copper Chic & Give Me Gold

Maybelline Color Tattoo - Audacious Asphalt & Too Cool

Barry M Dazzle Dusts - 44, 98 & 85

Pari Eye Shadow - ES 54

L'Oreal Color Infallible - Burning Black & Flashback Silver

mark. Eyeshadow Compact - Night Iris

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Instant Definition Eye Shadow Palette - Amethyst Eye Palette

Grow 10 more eyeballs and you just might be able to use it all up in your lifetime but won't you have fun trying! Interested and up for the challenge? Then read on...

This contest is open to everyone everywhere and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and leaving a comment answering the question - which of these products would you be most excited about winning? Please also leave your e-mail so we can find you if you win!

And for extra entries you can do one or both of the following:
1 entry for following @Beautycrazedcan on Twitter and tweeting the contest

3 entries if you post this contest as a post or on the sidebar of your blog

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 your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "Eyeshadow Contest" in the subject line.  Remember to leave a post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until September 7th to enter. Good Luck!

- Lisamarie -

L'Oréal Arginine Resist X3 - restores super strength to your hair!

Who wouldn't like JLo's hair - come to think of it, I'll take JLo's anything (except her soon to be ex, yuck) - most of which probably isn't happening but her thick, healthy hair might be something that's actually achievable thanks to a new hair care line from L'Oréal!

It's easier to have beautiful hair when you're young but as you age your body suffers and is less forgiving of hormonal imbalances, malnutrition, exhaustion, pregnancy, menopause and stress, all of which affect the hair. On top of that we are constantly abusing it with hair dryers, curling and flat irons - not to mention all the brushing, combing, colouring, bleaching and god knows what else - it's a wonder we have any hair left on our heads at all! What we are left with is hair that is weak, fragile, dry, sensitive, rough with split ends - damaged with a higher risk of disappearing!

Problems of weakness and fragility begin at the very surface of the hair. Gradually, the scales (what the hair fiber is made up of - proper cohesion of these scales is what gives the hair its strength) detach and hair loss will occur. As the hair weakens, protein content decreases and the hair loses its strength.

Is there a solution? Of course...

L'Oréal Arginine Resist X3 obviously contains Arginine - an essential amino acid and one of the major protein components of the hair - it's strongly attracted to fragile hair and as significant quantities can attach to the hair, it reinforces the strength of the hair - as a matter of fact without it, hair stops growing - so a line full of it can only be a good thing!

The collection includes:

Shampoo - 385ml - $5.99 - a reinforcing shampoo with a rich creamy texture that deposits arginine on the hair from roots to ends. Hair fibers are restructured with the very first application so hair regains its power and strength.

Conditioner - 385ml - $5.99 - reinforces and increases the action of the shampoo by increasing the concentration of arginine on the hair fiber. Restored and protected, the hair is less vulnerable to the effects of brushing and combing and untangles easily.

Reinforcing Spray - 200ml - $6.99 - an intensive treatment that penetrates ultra-quickly, targeting the roots of the hair. A no-rise product designed to be massaged into the scalp, this reinforcing spray treatment activates microcirculation around the bulb to optimize nutritional exchanges so the hair grows more resistant.

Instant Miracle - 200ml - $6.99 - an intensive rise-out treatment with a texture that takes action cell by cell, for immediate transformation. 

Mask - 300ml - $6.99 - a reinforcing serum mask that provides intense care to fragile hair fibers. With a rich, meltingly soft texture that rises out easily, the formula complements the effectiveness of Arginine for truly strong results.

Available this month at drug, mass and grocery stores across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Fave lips and tips from Dior Fall 2012 - Amazonia, Or Lumiere and Wild swatches!

A trip to the jungle is as close as the Dior Golden Jungle Fall 2012 collection - along with an amazing palette and rich looking shadows are some lip and nail products that your fall won't be complete without!

Dior Addict Lipstick in Wild - my lips but way better with tons of shine!

Dior Vernis in Or Lumiere - shimmery, shimmery gold

Dior Vernis in Amazonia - these deep greens will be everywhere this fall!

- Lisamarie -

Eye Love Wednesday - Peptalash

If you've been wanting to try a lash enhancer but have been put off by the high price tags or already use one but are tired for paying so much then will you ever be happy to hear about:

Peptalash - $24.99 - contains a combination of clinically proven peptides that work together to promote lashes that appear longer (as much as 43 per cent) and fuller (up to almost three times the volume). As well, one of the peptides naturally boost the pigmentation process of the skin on the lash line, stimulating the melanin production in the skin which leads to a more intense and dark lash line.

It's easy to use, just apply morning and evening to the base of the upper and lover eyelashes with the applicator brush - although I've been skipping the lower lashes because I don't want them any longer!

I've been using it for a month now and I can definitely see the difference my lashes are much longer and a bit thicker - it's taken me a month to get results because I keep forgetting to put in on twice a day, once is all I seem to be able to handle - you still get results, it just takes twice as long! When trying to take a picture to show you the difference I realized that my damn lashes are so blonde on the tips that you couldn't see a difference at all so here are a couple of Mascara Monday pictures - they are both L'Oreal Voluminous False Fibre (just different colours) so I figure it's a pretty fair comparison!

 Here's a pic from 6 months ago.

And here's after using Peptalash - nice right?!

Available now exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart.

- Lisamarie -

RoC Smoothing Scrub - beauty doesn't have to be painful!

Hate scrubs because you find they are too harsh, too drying or just plain don't work? Be prepared for your hate to turn to love with:

RoC Smoothing Scrub - 125ml - $19 - combines gentle yet effective exfoliating and cleansing benefits with moisturizing ingredients to leave skin soft, smooth and more radiant. Along with micro-exfoliating beads, it has a formula infused with Bentonite clay which is used as a soft cleansing agent to remove excess oil and impurities as well as Glycerin for optimal moisturization of the skin.

I'm not a fan of scrubs with nut pieces or any other exfoliant which can tear at my skin so I really appreciate the beads - they are perfectly round so there is no worry of microscopic skin damage and I like that it moisturizes so that my skin doesn't feel tight after using.

It's the perfect thing to use before applying a mask, because it gets rid of all the dead skin, the mask has an even better opportunity to do it's thing!

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with... Reach by design!

I am just fascinated by everything that Jeff Lewis does - I don't know why, logic dictates that I should find him abrasive, obnoxious and annoying but for reasons unknown to myself I just love him to bits!

Lately, Jeff has teamed up with designer  Shoshanna Gruss and Reach to launch an exclusive collection of 8 limited edition toothbrushes - and yes, even his toothbrushes are cool as hell (well I understand hell is kind of hot but you know what I mean)!

Reach by design - $4.99 - come in a pack of two and are probably the closest that any of us are going to come to have either of these two design for us!

For availability and more info check out: http://www.reachbrand.com/reach-by-design

- Lisamarie -