What happens when you put four future hairdressers and a slightly deranged blogger in a room together with a camera for HAA? Let's find out!

While you all were toiling away at work and school today, I had the great pleasure of hanging out with a very cool group of hairdressing students from Marca College - Dufferin and helping them make a video in support of Hairdressers Against AIDS and World AIDS Day. Not only was it educational, it was a hell of a lot of fun!

L’Oréal Professional invited myself and 9 other bloggers to each join a group of students and mentor them in the making of a video. I must admit I was a little apprehensive, I've never made video, touched an iPad or been allowed near young people with impressionable minds before so any of these factors could have made the whole thing a disaster! Luckily I had the best group and as you can see, definitely the most attractive!


Many thanks to my new best friends and future hairdressers (I will get a discount right?!) (l-r): Chantel, Josh, Keisha and Vanessa (front) for making this such a great experience! And as you will all see from the video below, they are a talented bunch too!
Please excuse the sound in advance - it was a noisy room and some parts are hard to hear because it would seem that the iPad is not renowned for it's mic abilities!

And in support of the whole theme of the day which was to use your voice and help educate, if you like the video, please pass the link along to a friend - the best way to a beautiful world without AIDS is for everyone to keep the dialogue going!

- Lisamarie -

Use Your Voice, Use Your Power For a Beautiful World Without AIDS!

World AIDS Day is coming up next week on December 1st and I heard a surprising statistic relating to it - Did you know that every single day two new people are infected with HIV in Canada? I had no idea it was still that big a problem and I expect my reaction is not uncommon!

So I was very honoured to be asked and happy to participate when L’Oréal Professional Products Division and UNESCO invited me to participate in the 10th anniversary of Hairdressers Against AIDS (HAA): a global advocacy campaign in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The program has reached out to 1.3 million L’Oréal hairdressers in 26 countries, since its creation in South Africa in 2001.

The goal of the day is To “Use Your Voice, Use Your Power” and spark conversations about HIV/AIDS in Canada. To help do this, L’Oréal has engaged the help of Toronto bloggers including moi to join a group of students to produce creative videos aiming to raise awareness across the country.

The best thing you can do yourself for World AIDS Day is educate yourself and others - change starts with yourself, so if everyone did just a little bit, the slogan would soon be reality! 

Of course I am very open to the idea and thoughts of all of our wonderful readers - and it would be very helpful in making the video to know what everyone's thoughts are, how/if AIDS/HIV has touched your lives, what you think of the video above or anything else you want to share - many thanks in advance, I know I can always count on you guys to tell me what you thin. And if you are more comfortable sharing your thoughts privately, feel free to e-mail me at info@beautycrazed.ca

And be sure to come back next week to see our video masterpiece!

- Lisamarie -

Help out World AIDS Day by buying a lipstick from MAC - no, really!

Today on World AIDS Day, MAC is putting out the call  to everyone to do their part in supporting the fight  against HIV/AIDS. Why buy a Viva Glam product and what exactly does it do?  Check out the Top 5 reasons to buy a Viva Glam  lipstick/lipglass – today and any day! 1. Today is World AIDS Day. What better way to  show your support than by buying a product that  supports HIV/AIDS with 100% of the selling price  directed to the M·A·C AIDS Fund?! 2. A purchase with a tangible effect. What exactly  does the $17.50 you pay for your Viva Glam lipstick do? For men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in North America, one Viva Glam lipstick can pay for: 8 individually tailored, nutritious home-cooked meals 1 week’s supply of groceries (about 4 bags of food) for 2 clients 14 blood glucose monitoring strips Fuel for MANNA trucks for 37 deliveries of nutritionally sound meals A Sunday meal for 5 people at the Denison Residential Housing Program in Toronto 1 Hospitality Kit containing personal hygiene and grooming essentials for a client entering a  housing program For men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS internationally, one Viva Glam lipstick  can provide: 2 children with 2 meals per day at Noah’s Ark for 1 month 1 pair of school shoes for a child orphaned by AIDS Support and education for 5 pregnant women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, giving them the tools  to prevent transmission to their unborn child   3. Support the M·A·C AIDS Fund and the Viva Glam Program. Since 1994, the Viva Glam  program has raised $190 Million (USD) for HIV/AIDS organizations globally. MAF offers  a large number of grants to these organizations and the money helps these charities in a variety of ways. Here in Toronto, MAF donates to a few different groups, two of which (Casey House and Fife House) are hosting World AIDS Day events at which a number of M·A·C employees  are volunteering. Casey House is a specialty hospital for people living with HIV/AIDS and Fife  House is a homeless outreach program/residence for people living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto.  M∙A∙C artists from Toronto will pitch in to help at Casey House for their annual Voices of Hope  concert, and at Fife House to treat residents and clients to a spa day.  Along with their  skincare tips and products, M·A·C is also bringing a $50,000 check to donate to Fife  House this afternoon, on behalf of the M·A·C AIDS Fund! 4. Raise awareness. Ever get questioned about your fabulous lip colour? What better way to  raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and M·A·C Viva Glam than by letting your lipstick do the  talking?!  Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper, our fabulous Viva Glam spokespeople, have a limited edition lipstick and lipglass available that they helped to design! This year, they are  focused on raising awareness of HIV/AIDS with the female population. Forget the stereotypes.  Women are more likely to become infected with HIV than men. While the overall rate of  new HIV infections has slowed, the number of women infected with HIV is growing. And in  every part of the world.  5. Gifts the give back. Throughout the holiday season, there is even more that you can do to  raise money for HIV/AIDS. M·A·C offers a Viva Glam lip bag and Sir Teddy, perfect stocking  stuffers that support the M·A·C AIDS Fund with 100% of the selling price directed to  organizations helping people living with HIV/AIDS. And don’t forget to pick up your Kids  Helping Kids cards - deliver your message of holiday cheer. knowing that you're helping children all over the world that have been affected by HIV/AIDS.                                                                 - Lisamarie -.

	Diamond, Samantha	Top 5 Reasons to Buy a MAC Viva Glam Lipstick	2:51 pm	7.6 m