March 31, 2010

Speed dating for your face event at Murale! April 1, 2010

Now I've always approved of the idea of speed dating.  My attention span is small, men are boring so why would I want to spend more than a few minutes with just one? (fingers crossed that my husband does not read my blog!) Which brings us to an über cool event happening at Murale tomorrow night (Thursday, April 1st) and you know I don't like to see y'all left out of anything so here's the scoop. 

Find your look and style with the help of Murale's Beauty Masters!  There will be a series of beauty stations each guest will go through, from skin care consultations to finding the right shade for your cheeks, lips and eyes, with a different Beauty Master at each station to help you achieve on-trend beauty looks.  There will even be a station for a free nail polish "changeover" with the purchase of any Lippmann Collection Nail Polish.  At 6pm the resident pharmacist, Nadia, will be making a presentation on skin care and beauty regimes.  And upon exiting, all ticket holders will receive a great swag bag.  That sounds like my idea of the perfect evening and better yet, I won't have to listen to some guy drone on and on about sports or his car!

The event runs from 5-9pm and tickets are $10 with 100% of the proceeds going to the Weekend to End Women's Cancers charity.  You can buy them ahead of time or at the door.  Murale is located at the Shops at Don Mills - 20 Marie Labatte Road.  416-384-1858.

- Lisamarie -

New and notable at Shoppers Drug Mart - Roc, Dermaglow, Lise Watier and Calvin Klein

You know summer is on its way when you start seeing all the new sun stuff arriving in the stores.  Roc Soleil Protexion +  is here with lots of new products:

Velvet Facial Moisturizer - SPF 30 - 40ml - $22 - lightweight with broad-spectrum sun protection.  Leaves your skin velvety soft and has a formula that is ideal for daily wear under makeup.

Velvet Moisture Spray - SPF 30 & 60 - 200ml - $24 - triple action broad spectrum protection in the form of micronised beads that contain a combination of sunscreen filters that act to absorb, diffuse and reflect UVA/UVB rays.  Waterproof and sweatproof.

Invisible Touch Spray - SPF 30 - 114g - $24 - same benefits as above and the delivery method offers express application by spreading a continuous transparent mist that protects 30% more than self-application of regular cream.  Has a quick-drying formula. - this one looks especially good, I was using a similar Neutrogena spray last year - and it's on sale for $12 until April 10th!

After Sun Soothing Balm - 150ml - $22 - contains glycerin, shea butter and Vitamin E.

Lip Protector - SPF 20 - 3g - $10 - can be used on the nose, ears and eye area as well.




Dermaglow Nuvectin Anti-aging Tinted Moisturizer - 30ml - $40 - 3-in-1:  Anti-aging - includes Dermaxyl, proven to reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Personalized colour - micro-encapsulated colour adapts to your specific skin tone, Moisturizing - hyaluronic acid, with its water binding properties, brings replenishing moisture to skin.  I always find these self adjusting colours fascinating and possibly slightly creepy...how does it know what colour my skin is?  Does it watch me while I sleep too...? >>>shivers<<<



Lise Watier has a new line of masks and scrubs:

Skin Detox Detoxifying Mask - 75ml - $29 - for all skin types

Skin Destress Moisturizing Mask - 75ml - $29 - for all skin types

Skin Radiance Smoothing Exfoliating Gel - 75ml - $27 - for normal / combo skin

Skin Radiance Smoothing Exfoliating Creme - 75ml - $27 - for dry skin



Calvin Klein - CK One Summer - 100ml - $58 - It has opening notes of pear, mandarin, Kaffir lemon zest and watermelon.  The heart includes violet leaves, marigold, water lily and lemon verbena.  The base is vetiver, patchouli and cedar.  It was fruity enough when first sprayed on but it dried down to be much less so.  I miss the very citrusy CK Summer's from past years... there's always next year I guess.


Calvin Klein - Eternity Summer for Men and Women - 100ml - $69 - the bottles are so pretty you might not even care what they smell like but in case you do:  the men's has kumquat, pineapple, bergamot, cardamom, bamboo, cedar, salty sea breeze, teak wood and guaiac wood.  - the woman's is an aquatic floral with grapefruit, ginger, passion flower, peony, freesia, lily of the valley, creamy musks, white amber and driftwood.  I gave them both a sniff and I don't mind them at all, Eternity Summer fans are sure to be happy!

- Lisamarie -

Olay Professional Pro-X Cleansers Review

So along with needing to find a better moisturizer for my newly dehydrated skin, I have also been trying out cream cleansers hoping that they will help add some moisture.  I have always used gel or milk cleansers so this is a brave new world for me!  Olay Professional Pro-X has added a couple of new cleansers to their arsenal that I decided to try and although they are meant to be used in tandem with the Pro-X moisturizers, I went rogue as usual and used them alone!

Now I'm very easy when it comes to my cleanser expectations - I want it to clean my face but not over-clean it to a point where my skin feels tight, I want it to wash off without leaving a greasy residue behind and I want it to either smell nice or like nothing.  You would think that I would love every cleanser in existence with such seemingly low standards, but alas, most cleansers I try don't meet even that basic criteria.

Olay Professional Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser - 177ml - $28.99 - this is one of those exfoliating cleansers that are made to be gentle enough to be used everyday.  People with sensitive skin should probably only use it 2-3 times a week though.  If you like your exfoliator to have no roughness to it at all this is a great choice, it has microbeads in it for its exfoliating action.  Frankly I like exfoliators with a little bit of grit to them so this wouldn't be my first choice but it actually did a great job cleaning so as just a regular cleanser I like it fine.

Olay Professional Pro-X Restorative Cream Cleanser - 150ml - $28.99 - this one is a definite winner!  It's PH balanced and smells good, it's nice and thick and rich feeling, a very small amount took off my foundation with no trouble and rinsed it off easily leaving just a nice soft feeling behind, no tightness!  Bonus points for coming in a pump bottle!

- Lisamarie -

Zara Look book for Spring 2010: Oh So Girlie!


This collection is cute and girlie, it's probably not for me or Lisamarie (despite what she claims) but I can see this Zara Spring collection become a great success. I like the simplicity and the color palette but I just have one thing to say to Zara aficionadas: Say NO to Harem pants!








-Christelle-

March 30, 2010

Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation Review

Christelle and I don't do a lot of reviews together because frankly there aren't a lot of beauty items that we can share.  Our skin types are totally different and our skin tones are on total opposite ends of the spectrum so you can imagine our surprise when we found a foundation that actually had a colour for both of us!  Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation - 30ml - $46 - comes in a handy pump bottle in 25 shades from pink to ebony and if you are buying a colour online without actually seeing it, they make it a little easier by telling you what colour undertone it is for.

Now if you aren't familiar with the whole High Definition concept - it was developed for use in high definition television as the actors are now seen in such fine detail with pictures that are six times sharper.  Fine lines, wrinkles, imperfections, shine, make up mistakes and incorrectly matched foundation become painfully obvious under the high definition lens - as I have always said, most people are really not meant to be seen in HD, so I don't know why they don't just save it for the nature shows!  To counter such magnifying, unforgiving technology, make up must provide full coverage yet appear sheer and natural, have a matte but not-too-matte finish and be true to colour.  This is what MUFE was after with their HD Invisible Cover Foundation range.

Here's the technical stuff:  It's an oil-free, lightweight liquid formula with an extremely smooth texture.  Enhanced with Silica Micro Beads that are biotechnologically engineered to act as minuscule light refractors, these beads refract both man-made and natural light to veil imperfections, creating a soft focus effect to skin.  Sericite Mica is also added to the formula to further reflect and refract light.  Coated Amino Acid Pigments blend with the complexion to create the truest colours in a wide range of skin tone shades.  To create a natural looking matte finish and to balance the light reflecting properties, Silicone Elastomer, a mattifying agent, is formulated into the product to neutralize shine, while nourishing moisturizers protect the skin from dryness.

And of course actors aren't the only ones who want to look flawless, it's the holy grail quest of foundation buyers everywhere so I was super excited to give it a try!

They recommend applying it with a soft, synthetic brush in small amounts using a downward motion to avoid lifting and accentuating tiny hairs on the face.  A dry sponge can also be used to blend, using a downward motion.  Take note of that "small amounts" bit, they aren't kidding!  I made the mistake of using a full pump on my brush the first time and there was foundation everywhere!  For my tiny little face it only took about half a pump for enough foundation to do a full coverage of my face.  Christelle and her giant melon head needed a full pump, but she likes a fuller coverage than I do.  I have to agree with MUFE's assessment of this foundation's abilities, it really does cover everything!  If you have stuff that you are trying to hide, this will be heaven for you.  Christelle was really happy with the coverage.  People with good skin might find it a bit much, as did I so I experimented a bit and found that a third of a pump and a slightly damp brush gave me a much more natural looking finish.  I know this isn't the intent of the foundation, it's meant to be a full coverage foundation and it sure is!  On bad skin days this stuff will be my savior!

You can find Make Up For Ever at Sephora, selected Bay stores and Shopper's Drug Mart beauty boutiques.

- Lisamarie -

March 29, 2010

Chanel 5 à 7 - a beautiful way to start off an evening out!

Last week Christelle and I took ourselves off to the Bloor Street Holt Renfrew store to hobnob with the beautiful people at one of my very favourite brands, Chanel and to learn all about an exciting new service they are offering - 5 à 7.  What is that, you may ask - It's the ultimate makeup service being offered at only the Bloor Street store between 5pm to 7pm every Thursday and Friday.  You select a look from the À La Carte Menu and a Chanel makeup artist will give you a custom look for your evening out.  The service includes professional makeup tips, colour touchups and application lessons. You can also reserve the entire table for you and five of your friends for a 2 hour private makeup party.  What a fabulous idea to start off a bachelorette party or your prom!  The booking fee is $75 per person and is redeemable in product.

Here's what is on the Makeup Menu - for your appointment, you can select one Makeover Look and one High Definition Makeup from the choices:

Makeover Looks

Makeup 101
The basic "know-hows", just for you!

All Natural
Discover your fresh, natural beauty.

Red Carpet
Step out in high style, feel like a star!

Seasonal Chic
Whatever the season, uncover the latest colour palette.

Bronze Goddess
The radiant, sunkissed look you always wanted.

9 to 5
Polished, with that professional edge.

5 to Whenever
Be glamorous for your night out on the town.

Day Into Night
Turn day into night:  how to boost it up!

High Definition Makeup

The Perfect Brow
The Perfect Lip
The Perfect Complexion
The Perfect False Eyelash Application
The Perfect Smoky Eye Look

Robert gave me the Perfect Smoky Eye with the Kaska Beige quad and it was really gorgeous!  Christelle got the Perfect Lip from Gianluca with Rouge Coco in Rouge Noir and was equally thrilled! We drank a few mocktails, hung out with Jeanne Beker and soaked up the wonderful Chanel atmosphere, a perfect night all around! If Christelle had 5 friends she would definitely be back!

People with friends can call the Chanel counter at the Bloor Street Holt Renfrew to book their appointment at 416-922-2333.

- Lisamarie -

Lise Watier Résist-Âge Day and Night Review and Contest Winner!

Along with the daily challenges that started 28 days ago, I also started using the Lise Watier Résist-Âge  Youth-Extender Day Fluid - 50ml - $52 and Reenergizing Night Creme - 50ml - $58. 

The day fluid contains two special ingredients:  DNA Protector (containing cotton peptides) which acts simultaneously on two fronts - reversing and preventing cellular change.  it promotes the elimination of existing lines by stimulating cell-repair functions and limiting the formation of new lines by strengthening the cellular defense system.  The photoprotective action prevents the appearance of early signs of aging and helps skin preserve its strength and vitality. And Longevicell (extract of myrtle leaves) which spurs skin longevity proteins, boosts cellular metabolism, and prevents rigidification of collagen fibres.  This triple action slows the formation of lines and wrinkles and helps skin preserve its youthful appearance.  The fluid also contains several other hydrating ingredients which work to revive the skin surface.


The night creme also contains the DNA Protector as well as a Phytoamine NRG Complex which is forumlated with extract of Tepescohuite bark - an ingredient reputed for its healing, invigorating, and remineralizing properties - and amino acids, which are known for their capacity to retain water.  This makes the combination supremely successful at night, when the skin's potential receptivity to moisture is at its highest.  It helps skin regain its softness, suppleness, and ideal moisture balance and the results can be seen in the morning.

It all sounds great but what you really want to know is did it really do all that and how wonderful do I look now?  I have to say that I love the night creme and once my skin becomes less dry again, I will love the day fluid!  The day fluid comes in a handy pump bottle, is very light, smells nice and absorbs easily.  For myself it was a bit too light - to fix this I have been adding a little bit of extra moisturizer in my drier areas as well as wearing a moisturizing serum.  What I think I might try is picking up the Résist-Âge Métamulsion Serum and wearing that during the day with a more intense moisturizer.  The night creme also comes in a pump bottle, is thicker, smells good and soaks right in.  I found the texture of this one fine, just enough moisture for me but if you are super dry, keep in mind that both of these products are geared towards those with normal to combo skin so don't be surprised if you don't find them moisturizing enough and need to add something extra.  And FYI, I really did wake up with radiant looking skin, so that night creme is going to be having an extended stay in my bathroom cabinet!

If you are in your 30s, seeing your first signs of aging and want to start a skin care regime to kick agings ass, this is a great one to try!  On to the contest winner:

I have to say, I am really impressed with you guys!  When the Lise Watier Youthful... Day After Day Challenge started 28 days ago I figured that by Day 28, 1 or 2 of you might still be hanging in there, but every single day, so many of you kept coming back to share the fun (and sometimes misery) that the wonderful people (sadists) at Lise Watier had come up with for the day.  So a big thank you to all of you for sharing the trip!  And the winner is....
Adri17 from Quebec

Please contact us at info@beautycrazed.ca within 48 hours and give us your info so we can send your prize to you!

Thanks again to everyone for making this such a fun contest!

- Lisamarie -

Jacob wants to beat the panties off cervical cancer!


We love a worthy cause here at Beauty Crazed so of course were happy to oblige when Jacob asked us to help spread the word of their cervical cancer initiative.  It also helped me realize how much I hate the word "panties"  I wonder why that is?  But I am happy to have a good reason to go buy myself some new underwear!  If my husband complains I can explain it's for charity - of course, strangely, he rarely complains about my shopping when it's lingerie of any sort that I'm buying... funny that...  Make your husband happy, buy yourself some new dainties and help a good cause!


- Lisamarie -

March 28, 2010

Lise Watier Youthful... Day After Day Challenge - Day 28! Contest!


Day 28 - BE BOLD - Youth is you!
Rediscover a piece of clothing you wore when you were a teenager or borrow one from your 
daughter and wear it!

What are these Lise Watier people smoking?  I was a teenager in the eighties, did they not see the misguided fashions we had then?  Nobody wants to see me wandering around town in lace Madonna gloves, stirrup pants and a torn up Flashdance sweatshirt.

And please make sure you come back tomorrow, for a review of our 28 days together, the creams and of course, the winner!

- Lisamarie -

If you are confused about what this is or how to enter, you can go here to see the original post!

March 27, 2010

Lise Watier Youthful... Day After Day Challenge - Day 27! Contest!


Day 27 - PHYSICAL HEALTH - Try yoga!
I don't recommend this pose, I'm more of a fan of the one where you lie flat on your back and breathe!

- Lisamarie -

If you are confused about what this is or how to enter, you can go here to see the original post!

Deodorants - it's all about the smell! Degree, Secret, Dove and Lavanila

 I tend to buy my daytime deodorant more for smell than any other reason.  Not that I sweat less than anyone else but I use one of those clinical strength ones that you put on at night which leaves my armpits free to have a scent party (of the good kind) during the day.  In my quest to find the best smelling one I've tried an awful lot of them and these are some of my faves so far:

DegreeWomen Natureffects - 45g - $4.49 - comes in 3 scents inspired by Mother Nature:  Honeysuckle (known for its natural antibacterial properties) and Tea Tree Oil (know for its refreshing properties), Olive Leaf and Pink Pepper and Orange Flower (recognized as a natural deodorizer) and Cranberry - this was my favourite one, it smells clean with a little bit of a bite from the cranberry.

Secret Scent Expressions - 45g - $4.99 - Comes in a bunch of different scents, several I like a lot - Cherry, Peach but my favourite is the Va Va Vanilla.  Smells just like an ice cream cone! 


Dove go fresh - 45g - $4.49 - comes in different scents:  cucumber and green tea, nectarine and ginger and my favourite, grapefruit and lemongrass - I especially appreciate this one for not leaving white marks on my clothes.



Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant - 50g - $23 - comes in pure vanilla, vanilla coconut, vanilla lavender and vanilla grapefruit which is the one I like.  This one is 100% natural and mineral oil and aluminum free.  All I know is it smells amazing!  They also have an entire body and fragrance line in the same scents.


- Lisamarie -


March 26, 2010

Winners?! Have we ever got winners!



We have been so remiss in announcing winners for our various, now done and dusted contests - and least you think that we actually just keep all the prizes for ourselves - I should at least make up some imaginary names and cities so you'll at least think that it's not the case!  So here we go:

The Olay Regenerist Eye Roller Contest was won by the lovely Arianne from Mississauga since enough time has now gone by since it was sent to her to have an opinion of the product, I asked her to share her thoughts and here's what she had to say:

I do like the Olay roller.  It definitely takes away the everyday puffiness that I get under my eyes.  It's very refreshing and I didn't experience any eye irritation.  One thing that I would change though is that I wish it was more moisturizing.  I find that I still need to use eye cream along with it.  Overall, I think it's awesome and will buy one when this runs out.

I love a happy ending - Happy Rolling Arianne!

The AG Hair Cosmetics - $150 Oscar Gift Bag went to Monica from Toronto.

The NeoStrata Anti-Expression Line Cream was won by Rhianna from Buffalo, New York.  She agreed to guest post about it and you can look for that in the next couple of weeks!

The Palmer's Gift Basket went to  Lisa S. from Goderich, ON, we hope she's enjoying everything!

The Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion has a home with Marlene in Calgary, Alberta.

Don't be sad if you didn't win - we have other contests going on right now!

 How about some Lise Watier or Dermaglow swag?  Or a Sex in the City tour?!  There's still time to enter!

- Lisamarie -


Have some Sex in the City of your own - okay not really sex, more like a tour, but still - Contest!

If you are anything like me, you are really looking forward to May 27th and the release of Sex and the City 2.  Ever wished you could hang out in the same hot spots as Carrie and the girls?  On Location Tours is prepared to make one lucky reader's dream come true.

The winner will receive one gift certificate good for two tickets to the Sex & the City Hotspots Tour (an $84 value); the gift certificates never expire and can be used whenever you visit NYC.

Tour Highlights:
  • Shop at the store where Charlotte bought her “Rabbit”
  • Stop at “Scout,” the bar owned by Aidan
  • Enjoy cupcakes like Carrie and Miranda
  • Go on location to the art gallery in SoHo where Charlotte worked
  • Shop at the hottest boutiques & stores in Greenwich Village
  • Visit Buddakan, site of Carrie and Big’s wedding rehearsal dinner
  • See new locations from Sex and the City Movie
On this guided New York tour, follow in the footsteps of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda – you’ll drink where they drank, shop where they shopped, and gossip where they gossiped. The sightseeing tour includes more than 40 locations from the show! As you drive by these exciting landmarks, you’ll also view clips from SATC scenes that took place right where you are.  Whether you're a Sex and the City fan eager to learn more about your favorite show, or a tourist looking for an entertaining way to see Manhattan’s best neighborhoods, these are must-do New York sightseeing tours! 

If you plan of being in New York sometime in the near or distant future and this sounds like something you would like to win, here's all you need to do: Be a resident of Canada, USA or Mexico. You must 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 which SATC girl you are most like and why.  If you give the contest link a tweet, 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!  Or if you prefer not to leave a public post, it's also fine to e-mail us - info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "SATC Contest" in the subject line.  Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until April 9th to enter.

And if you're going to be in New York May 28th and are looking for something cool to do, On Location Tours will be offering a Sex and the City Movie Package that includes the famous Sex and the City Hotspots Tour, dinner, a ticket to SATC2, and admission to a nightclub, all for one low price.  The nine-hour+ day will be led by actresses and stand-up comediennes who share inside industry information and will allow fans to follow in the footsteps of Carrie and Company.

The package costs $179 per ticket and departs at 2pm in front of Pulitzer Fountain on Fifth Avenue.  For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.screentours.com/satc-movie-package or call 212-209-3370.

You will also be interested to know that On Location Tours also offer New York TV and Movie sites, Soprano sites and Gossip Girl sites tours - if they could somehow give me a tour of Chuck I'm so there!

- Lisamarie -
,

MAC Prep For Colour primes your masterpiece - I mean your face of course!


Every masterpiece starts with a perfectly prepped canvas, or in this case, face.  Protect it from the sun, brighten the tone, paint on a perfect pink pout and make your eyes stand out.  All I know is that lipglass is calling my name...

Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 - $36.50

Prep + Prime Skin Brightening Serum - $48

Lipglass - $16.50
Just Add Colour - fuchsia pink

Eye Shadow - $17.50
Hey - warm mid-tone beige
Prepped For Glamour - ashy/dirty brown
Sorcery - reddish mid-tone brown


- Lisamarie -

Lise Watier Youthful... Day After Day Challenge - Day 26! Contest!


Day 26 - LIFESTYLE - Help your neighbour!
Help someone out today!  Offer to help a co-worker or a friend who could use it.

I'm going to be treating Christelle to that therapy she desperately needs!

- Lisamarie -

If you are confused about what this is or how to enter, you can go here to see the original post!

Visa doesn't think you use your credit card enough so here comes Borderlinx!

I got the sweetest e-mail yesterday from a girl who works with Visa - she seemed very concerned that Canadians were losing out on lots of US shopping opportunities (we are) because of border issues.  She was also kind enough to share with me a new service that will help us poor shopping deprived Canadians get the latest beauty products at retailers that we normally can't shop at like Target.com, Macys.com, bloomingdales.com, and many more.  Here's the spiel:

Visa is pleased to bring you Borderlinx, a new service that allows most international shoppers to buy U.S. products directly from U.S. online retailers. It's simple and easy to use:

1. Create your Borderlinx account through http://visa.ca/visaperks/shopping/Borderlinx/index.jsp. By using your Visa card, Visa will waive the C$30.00 registration fee and offer 10% off shipping until May 31, 2010.

2. You shop online and fill in the shipping address form with your Borderlinx address.

3. You pay the retailer for the goods and local shipping and Borderlinx for international shipping, customs, duties and taxes.

4. You can share shopping lists with friends and consolidate shipments to save even more on shipping and have 30 days free storage.

Here are a video explaining how Borderlinx works:

 

Also, www.visaperks.ca has over 70 great merchant offers and discounts just for using your Visa card.

My husband will be thrilled to know that there is yet another way for me to bring more cosmetics into the house - he often comments how I just don't have enough...

- Lisamarie -

March 25, 2010

New and Notable at Shoppers Drug Mart - Vichy, Lise Watier, Burberry and StriVectin

Vichy has three new foundations:  Aera Teint Pure Fluid and Cream Foundations as well as a Mineral one.


Aera Teint Pure Fluid Foundation or Cream Foundation - 30ml - $27.95 - Comes in 5 colours:  opal, ivory, sand, honey and bronze - the first 2 are very light which is great for the pale amongst us who have trouble finding light foundation.  It's paraben free with a natural finish that lasts up to 12 hours.  Contains minerals and anti-pollution action with a fresh finish that helps skin breath.

Aera Teint Mineral Powder Foundation - 1.5g - $27.95 - with purifying minerals in 4 colours:  opal, nude, sand and gold.

With such nice light colours, how can I not give these a try?  Keep an eye out for my review coming soon!

I wish I had pictures of them because Lise Watier has the cutest skin care kits in.  They come in a clear plastic half-oval bag with hot pink trim and each contain a full sized moisturizer as well as several samples for each age range.

20+ Hydra Temps Eclat + - 50ml, Hydra Temps Eclat Night Creme-Gel - 15ml, Moisturizing Mask - 10ml and Sun Smart SPF 30 - 2ml - $35

30+ Résist-Age Youth Extender Day Fluid - 50ml, Résist-Age Cell-Matrix Metamulsion - 10ml, Moisturizing Mask - 10ml and Sun Smart SPF 30 - 2ml - $55 - or you could enter our contest and win this one!

40+ Lift and Firm Ultra Firming Rejuvenation Day Creme - 50ml, Lift and Firm Deep Remodeling Night Creme - 15ml, Moisturizing Mask - 10ml and Sun Smart SPF 30 - 2ml - $59

50+ L'Expérience Morning Potion Power Creme - 50ml, L'Expérience Nighttime Skin Rescue Creme - 15ml, Moisturizing Mask - 10ml and Sun Smart SPF 30 - 2ml - $65


Burberry Sport for Women EDT - 50ml - $72 - described as a fresh floral and features notes of mandarin, sea salt, magnolia, honeysuckle, petit grain, solar notes, musk and cedar.

Burberry Sport for Men - 50ml - $68 - a woody citrus includes notes of frozen ginger, grapefruit, wheatgrass, marine breeze accord, red ginger, juniper berry, dry amber, cedar and soft musk. I like the smell of this one a lot and would buy if for my husband (for my smelling pleasure of course).


StriVectin has two new offerings in store:

Instant Moisture Repair Daily Hydrator - 59.1ml - $68 - helps rebuild skin's moisture cushion layer by layer, instantly boosts skin's natural hydration levels and helps skin look, feel and act younger.  I think I am going to have to give this one a try in my quest for a new moisturizer.

Overnight Facial Resurfacing Serum - 25ml - $68 - contains natural plant-based exfoliators proven to even skin texture and tone.  Contains botanical brighteners proven to increase skin luminosity.  I have to say, the serum smelled really weird in the bottle but when I put some on my hand, the smell disappeared.






- Lisamarie -

Chanel Précision Hydramax + Active - a great line for parched skin!

I was pretty surprised at my last facial to be told that my skin is dehydrated.  It's never been a problem for me before so of course I don't have any products to deal with it.  But as a true beauty junkie I just accepted it as a chance to check out lots of new things to try and get some moisture back into my skin and educate myself.

The first one I have been trying is Chanel Précision Hydramax + Active Sérum Active Moisture Boost - 30ml - $121.  I have used Chanel skin care products on and off for years.  When I used to work downtown the nice lady at the Eaton Centre counter would call me whenever they had facial events so of course I would go and buy lots of stuff.  At the Chanel counter I go to now, the skincare is over on the other side from the makeup so I never really look at it.  This serum was a nice way to reintroduce myself to their skincare line.  It's light, it smells fresh and it soaks right into your skin and I do love a serum!  This would probably be great for me on it's on during the hot months, but when it's cold or if your skin is dry you will need something more.  Which led me to:
Hydramax + Active Nutrition Créme Nourrissante Nourishing Cream for Dry Skin - 50ml - $82 - At first I was a little scared, this stuff is super thick and as a normally combo skinned girl, I'm just not used to rich creams!  I use just a tiny bit of this on my dry areas - forehead and cheeks, a little goes a really long way, and on my skin I would never had said it was that rich in the jar - I feel a moistness to my skin but not like there is something on my skin, if that makes any sense.  The only thing I'm not crazy about is the smell, it's a little too perfumey for my taste but that is one thing I have always found about Chanel - some of their products have that certain smell that you either love or you hate.

Also new in the line is Hydramax + Active Nutrition Lip Care - 10ml - $45 which is my new favourite lip balm.  You may remember me saying that it is great over this season's lip stains.  I like that there is absolutely no smell and it goes on matte (they say satin, but it looks matte to me), so it keeps your stain moist without interfering with the smell or shine the stain already has.

The above products are available at all Chanel beauty counters.

Any advise from seasoned dry and dehydrated skin sufferers gratefully welcomed!

- Lisamarie -

Lise Watier Youthful... Day After Day Challenge - Day 25! Contest!


Day 25 - NUTRITION - Drink water!
Always keep a glass or bottle of water near you, and drink from it regularly.

Sounds easy but I find it so hard to remember to drink it!

- Lisamarie -

If you are confused about what this is or how to enter, you can go here to see the original post!

Obakki Designs: between Urban Goddess and Casual Fashionista

This Obakki Spring Summer collecion 2010 is always about draping, fluidity and classic shapes with a twist. The tank top becomes statement, draped, patterned, colorful. The pants high-waisted and lean.
The color palette is fairly soft and muted with the occasional burst of color. I am more into fitted garments but this line gives off a vibe of both quiet elegance and a sophisticated casualness.  
Most of all, the clothes are made in Vancouver! We like. Treana Peake, Obakki owner has also traveled to Africa and incorporated some of her inspiration back to her designs. She created the Obakki foundation which carries super cute outfits to support this foundation.

You can find Obakki in boutiques across Canada as well as in the US and online. You can now buy the fall/winter stock at a 75% discount!


Obakki has a menswear line as well...
Photos: Obakki - Spring Summer 2010

-Christelle-

March 24, 2010

Clinique High Lengths Mascara and Instant Lift for Brows Review

The Clinique Spring 2010 collection was full of all kinds of pretty things as well as two new additions to the Clinique eye line:

 
Clinique High Lengths Mascara - $18

The "willow" wand applicator is certainly unique so I was interested to try this one out.  They advise that for best results, to start at the base of the lash line with the curve of the brush against the natural curve of your lashes, then slowly comb upward through the tips of the lashes to extend and separate.  For added feathering and separation, use the tines towards the top of the fine-toothed comb to find and define smaller lashes.

What Clinique didn't count on was my super-spazziness!  I'm not the most coordinated person at the best of times and I thought this mascara had gotten the best of me!  But after a few tries I did get the hang of it and was happy with the results.  My lashes are noticeably longer and I never find the formula clumpy.  An unexpected bonus is that it also seems to curl my lashes - I looked and nowhere on the box or in anything I read about it has said it's supposed to do that so I suspect it has something to do with my (incorrect) wand technique.  I am totally okay with this side effect!  

If you like a lengthening mascara that doesn't add volume, has a funky brush-comb thing that possibly might curl your lashes too then you should give this one a try!


Clinique Instant Lift for Brows - $19.50

Everyone knows how important having well groomed brows is.  Well groomed brows can take years off your age, open up your eyes and just make you look so much more polished.  Instant Lift for Brows includes a brow filling pencil on one end and a brow bone highlighter on the other.  The pencil is designed to fill-in brows and even out sparse areas to create perfectly defined, natural looking brows.  When applied under the brow, the highlighter instantly brightens your appearance and gives the illusion of a lifted look, using light reflecting ingredients to highlight the brow.  It's a simple way to look years  without the fuss - instant gratification at its best.

The brow filler side is a wax-based formula.  It has a long-wearing formula that is supposed to last up to 8 hours without smudging or smearing.  It comes in three shades:  soft blonde, soft brown and deep brown.

The brow bone highlighter side is a warm pink champagne colour meant to be universally flattering and creates the illusion of a lifted brow when applied on the brow bone right underneath the brow.

The two sided pencil idea is genius.  I use both a brow filler and a highlighter on a daily basis so having them both together in one place makes life so much easier!  This was also much easier then the powder formulas that I usually use, you just swipe it on, blend a little bit with your fingers and it's done!  My only issue is with the colours offered - I'm a redhead and like to have my brow's colour be somewhere in the auburn family. Sadly, Instant Lift for Brows offers nothing for the gingers of the world so hopefully they will be addressing this short sightedness soon.  If you are of the blonde or brunette persuasion, or like to have brows of this colour, this is worth a try!

- Lisamarie -