The Beauty Project by Shoppers Drug Mart and a visit with Erika Jayne!

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 10th) Shoppers Drug Mart will be launching The Beauty Project - an event that encourages Canadians to experiment with new makeup looks by exploring the vast beauty product selection available at Shoppers Drug Mart! What you have to look forward to for the event is: new beauty collections, attending events in-store and discovering all-time favourite beauty picks, including exclusive products. Curated makeup collections that were inspired by seven Canadian influencers will also be launching weekly throughout the duration of the event. Check out your local Shoppers Drug Mart store to see what they have going on!

And to kick things off, come experience The Beauty Project Pop-Up at 950 Queen Street West from Saturday August 10th through to Sunday, August 18th. It's an interactive installation that gives visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of beauty and test out and discover new products and looks and curate their own collections with the help of Shoppers Beauty Pro Team members, along with Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Experts. There will be lots of interactive areas to explore including swatching stations, a fragrance experience, nail station and Masterclasses focusing on popular beauty topics including Get Glowing, Statement Eyes, Modern Classic and Matter Perfection - hosted by Pro Team members.

The Beauty Project Pop-Up is open: Sat, Aug 10 - 11am - 6pm; Sun, Aug 11 - 11am - 5:30pm; Wed, Aug 14 & Thurs, Aug 15 - 3:30pm - 7:30pm; Fri, Aug 16 - 11:30am - 6:30pm; Sat, Aug 17 - 11am - 6pm; Sun, Aug 18 - 11am - 5:30pm.

Photo by: George Pimentel

Erika Jayne of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame was in Toronto Thursday with her Glam Squad to help kick off the event. As an avid watcher of any and all of the RH franchises, it was hard, but I somehow managed to control myself and not ask her my truly burning questions (Is Lisa VDP as big a scheming bitch as she appears to be on the show or did you ever find out why Dorit has a British accent seeing as she's from Connecticut and all...?) but rather limited myself to beauty related queries.

So in the spirit of The Beauty Project, I made it my mission to find out WWEW (What beauty products Would Erika Wear). Not surprisingly there are several high end ones she uses but there are also a few she loves that even you and I can afford so be sure and check them out the next time you are at Shoppers - they include:

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Multifunction Cream - 75ml - $39 - works as a moisturizer, makeup primer, beauty mask, cleansing milk, aftershave care, after-sun - Erika swears by it as a use anywhere you have dryness cream!

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Volume Extra Strong Hairspray - 400ml - $16.49 - the micro diffuser sprays ultra-fine and disappears at the stroke of a brush, offering strong, clean hold with a dazzling star-worthy shine and a soft satin touch - Erika loves that it adds volume and hold but no stickiness so you can still get a brush through it!

Revlon ColorStay Makeup - 30ml - $20.99 - in 16 shades in comes in normal/dry and combination skin formulas - it features a mess-free pump and SPF 20 protection and offers flawless, longwearing, buildable, full coverage that wears up to 24 hours - Erika doesn't use it on her face though but rather swears by it for the body - she doesn't like to spray tan and prefers this for perfecting legs - even at the beach it stays without budging!

And if Erika wants to e-mail and let me know the answers to my unasked questions that would be great - until then I will imagine that the answers are "Hells yeah!" and "Pretentiousness"...

- Lisamarie -

My fave five products from the beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart 9th Annual TIFF Beauty Suite!

TIFF may be over but the beauty will live on for a long time thanks to the beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart 9th Annual TIFF Beauty Suite which was chock-full of amazing products to keep you looking great on the red carpet and beyond - here are a few of my faves:

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Hitch Hike - $22 - in the perfect brick rose shade - it has a comfort matte finish with a creamy formula that is packed with nourishing ingredients including: a butter blend - that comforts, hydrates and enhances, leaving lips soft and conditioned, and never dry; aloe vera, jojoba, avocado, and babassu oils - to nourish and soften lips; illipe butter, derived from Malaysian illipe trees it provides long-lasting moisture; while vitamins C and E deliver a hint of antioxidants.

Phyto Phytovolume Actif Spray Volume Intense - 125ml - $32 - a heat activated blow-out must-have for fine, limp hair that leaves hair bouncy and holds any voluminous style in place all day long. A great way to perk up limp, sweaty hair - a few sprays of this and a shot with the blow dryer totally revived my do!

Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Enchantress - $31 - an amazing peach with duo chrome bright gold pearl that makes an impact in just one sweep of colour with a holographic-like, multi-colour, multi-dimensional effect.

Jowae Revitalizing Moisturizing Lotion - 400ml - $24 - a deeply moisturizing body lotion made from 97% natural ingredients such as bamboo water, sunflower oil, shea butter and soy with a light formula that melts quickly into the skin, leaving it supple, toned, and naturally bright - and with the extra bonus of smelling like watermelons!

Silk'n Titan Skin Tightening and Lifting - $299 - a painless, non-surgical treatment with no recovery time that reverses the effects of gravity and aging as it repairs damaged and sagging skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that is safe for all skin types. It works by affecting the upper layer of skin for improved skin texture, reaches into the dermis for rejuvenation and collagen restoration and penetrates deep into the subdermal fat for deep tissue tightening and wrinkle reduction - with visible results after just 10 treatments - but honestly you will see results after just one treatment too, people were asking me if I had just had a facial after my session!

All available at select Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca.

- Lisamarie -

TIFF 2018 starts with a (relaxing) vengence at Essentials Lounge 9!

credit: Ryan Emberley

It's TIFF-time again and the best thing about it... the chance that you will spot cute celebrity boys wandering around Toronto - making it very important to be prepared and look your best at all times!  This was made much easier thanks to this year's Essentials Lounge and all of the fabulous products on offer there including...

Get hair to rival Kit's with:

Design.Me Puff.Me Shampoo and Conditioner - 300ml - $22 - intensely volumizes hair with its weightless, sulfate and gluten free formula while offering hair rich hydration and luscious shine. The duo also builds barriers against breakage, offers heat protection up to 160C, frizz control, detangling and age-defying properties while improving the natural texture of your hair to keep locks looking healthy from the root, up - and all of these benefits without any build-up or residue.

Design.Me Hold.Me Three Ways Hairspray - 330ml - $22 - a unique adjustable hairspray that offers three levels of support - with just a little twist, modify the hold from light, medium and strong in a long-lasting, flake-free formula that includes shine, UV protection and volume.

Available at Trade Secrets and select salons across Canada - check out https://designmehair.com/salon-locator/ to find one near you.

Smell memorable for Brad with:

DKNY Stories - 100ml EDP - $119 - a fragrance of striking contrasts with a modern feminine edge that inspires new stories every time you wear it, like the city itself. An oriental floral with fresh top notes of pink pepper and pink guava mousse; a captivating floral heart of black iris; and a warm and sensual base of vanilla, sandalwood and amber.

Available at Hudson's Bay stores across Canada.

Get a complexion that glows for Ryan with:

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment - 50g - $75 - an advanced clearing treatment that helps fight common skin concerns with Activated-X charcoal, a super absorbent carbon, to attract toxins and dirt from the deepest and toughest areas for super clear super poreless skin.

What makes it awesomely gross/cool is you can visibly see your pore congestion pull-out and  encapsulate within the mask as it sits on your face for immediate and amazing results in just one use.

Available at Sephora and select Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada.

Easily chase George wearing:


Keds x Rifle Paper Co. Champion Sneakers - Meadow Print in Rose or Blue - $75 or Kickstart Sneakers in Navy with Blue Meadow Print Laces or Cream with Meadow Print Rose Laces - $90 - canvas uppers and rubber soles for everyday wear that look great and feel super comfortable!

Find Canadian outlets to purchase or buy online at https://www.keds.com/CA.

Perfect your complexion for Matt with:

Smashbox Studio Skin Hydrating Foundation - 30ml - $46 - in 40 shades of high-performing liquid foundation that evens out skin tone while never settling into pores and lines and lasts 24 hours!

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada.

Warm up Robert with:


Tuckshop Trading Company Toronto Bandit Crewneck - $115 - in white, pink, navy or grey or True North Surf Society Sweatshirt - $98 - in white, pink, navy or grey.

Available at tuckshopco.com.

De-stress Matthew with:

This Works Stress Check Roll On - 8ml - $36 - a day time de-stresser that keeps you feeling calm yet refreshed and invigorated, with 100% natural essential oils of lavender (in a calming yet non-drowsy form) and eucalyptus. Less stress during the day makes it easier for you to get your beauty sleep!

Available at Sephora stores across Canada.

Sweeten up Jake with:

Green And Black's Chocolate - $4.25 - available in 10 unique flavours made with hand-selected, ethically sourced cocoa beans for a truly premium chocolate experience.

Available at stores across Canada including Walmart and Bulk Barn.

- Lisamarie -

Beautylicious returns to Yorkville for it's eighth beautiful year!

Toronto spa lovers, It's Beautylicious time again and this year, its 8th, it's bigger and better than ever!

For those not familiar with what it is, many of the salons and spas in the Bloor-Yorkville area offer consumers set value-priced packages and services for a set period of time. There is a wide array of hair, spa, skin and health & wellness service packages available at four set prices - $30, $50, $75 and $125 in four categories: hair (hair/colour/cut/style); spa (includes massage and/or facial and/or mani/pedi); skin (non-invasive procedures including Botox, Restylane or chemical peel); and Health & Wellness (nutrition services, dental, chiropractic services). It's a great way to try out new places and services and score amazing deals!

There are too many packages for me to even begin to tell you about but you can find all the event info at www.bloor-yorkville.com with details of all the participating spas and salons as well as the packages available.

This year I was treated to a Orange Spice Pumpkin & Polish Pedicure at the Stillwater Spa, Park Hyatt Hotel - 4 Avenue Road - 416-926-2389 - that involves a custom blended spicy organic puree of pumpkin, nutrient rich mud combined with whipped honey sea salts in an invigorating exfoliation treatment that left my feet glowing and spicy fresh! And maybe craving a Pumpkin Spiced Latte… Ask for Natasha, she was amazing!

I have also enjoyed many Beautylicious services over the years and here are a few places I really liked who are participating again this year:

Marc Anthony Salon - 38 Avenue Road - 416-413-1521 has an amazing $125 offering of colour, partial highlights and cut with Executive Hair Designer Felor Davachi. You can read about my haircut there with Byron here.

Pure + Simple - 41 Avenue Road - 416-924-6555 - is offering a Skin Awakening Facial for $125 - I've had the deluxe sea salt microdermabrasion which is wonderful so I'm intrigued by this! You can read the review here.

and don't miss out on seeing Dr. Cory Torgerson - Facial Cosmetic Surgery - 70 Yorkville Avenue, Suite 31 - 647-343-0207 - who is offering 20% off SculpSure - the latest and greatest in fat reduction and non-surgical liposuction without the scary bruising of CoolSculpting!

What I also think sounds interesting :

The Brow House - 80 Scollard Street - 647-351-7078 - is offering a $75 Triple Threat including expert shaping, brow and lash tinting - for the perfect no-makeup look!

OxyBeauty - 14A Hazelton Avenue, Suite 304 - 416-929-4597 - has an Jet Peel Wrinkle Reduction and Skin Rejuvenation Treatment for $75 that sounds amazing

Kim Du Salon - 1300 Bay Street - 647-388-8713 - $50 will score you a wash, scalp massage, power-dose treatment and blow-dry - they had me at scalp massage!

Check it out at www.bloor-yorkville.com and get booking, it runs to October 30th!

- Lisamarie -

Enjoying the calm before the storm at the TIFF Essentials Lounge 7 2016!

EGPR and brand partners were back again this year for the seventh season with the TIFF Essentials Lounge at The Richmond in Toronto with a one-day event that welcomes invited members of the media to experience pampering in preparation for all the craziness of  TIFF!

This is the week that there are a bunch of lounges but I must admit, I always look forward to and enjoy Essentials Lounge the most - the products and services are always new, interesting and most needed - and this year was no exception1

New to me was ,en's and women's activewear label Colmar - known for their specially designed pieces for activities including golf and skiing as well as innovative and stylish all-round wear, the brand is loved for its carefully engineered and ultra wearable designs with Italian flair. With warm winter-ready quilted designs, sleek moto-inspired jackets and essential windbreakers made from premium natural and technical fabrics.

You get a really good feel for the reflective qualities of the jacket's technology when you take a flash pic!

I fell in love with the Colmar Woman's Empire Research Down Jacket - $770 - super light and water repellent with technical fabric padded in down - to keep you warm while looking great! Available at www.LiveOutThere.com.

The experts stylists from KMS California were on hand to perk up humidity stricken hair - they had products for every hair type and issue you can think of including one that is my new fave:

KMS Free Shape 2 in 1 Styling + Finishing Spray - 174g - $24.95 - a heat activated shaping and finishing spray with a unique technology that creates smooth shaping with hot tools while at the same time holds like a hairspray to help create perfect curls or smooth straightened hair. Available at salons across Canada - check out www.KMSCalifornia.com to find one near you.

Saucony known for their high-performance running shoes was showing off their lifestyle line - aka cute stylish shoes meant for everyday life that are hella comfortable!

Perfect for me because I believe one should only run if something is chasing you! I fell in love with these ultra-adorable Life On The Run Jazz Original shoes - $95 - with a nylon/suede upper and a padded collar and tongue for ultra-comfort and a footbed that provides superior shock absorption, fit and extra comfort - and did I mention how cute they are?!?

And it was nice to see some old favourites too including Thursday Plantation natural oils with my already beloved Tea Tree Oil.

For Beloved One Melasleep Brightening Bio-Cellulose Mask - with a new formula developed to fight pigmentation in the skin and help skin look brighter.

And something my face never goes outside without - SkinCeuticals Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50!

Smashbox was showing off their latest and greatest - Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick - $28 - in 20 shades that offer eight-hour wear with a featherweight, comfortable formula that stays put and keeps color looking as fresh and flawless as the first swipe. I tried out a bright red-orange shade - Thrill Seeker - that looked fab!

Who wouldn't be hungry after all that? Luckily Fully Loaded T.O. was on hand with a food truck full of nibbley goodness and although I was really curious to know how one would stuff a chicken wing full of mac 'n' cheese, I went with the buttermilk chicken tenders with thai sauce - delicious!

- Lisamarie -

Beauty becomes even more fun with the first Canadian Sephora Beauty Tip Workshop at Yorkdale!

Available now Sephora Yorkdale is the first Canadian Beauty Tip (Teach, Inspire, Play) Workshop store which offers an interactive Beauty Together approach to beauty that will educate and inspire while being a lot of fun!

At the heart of the new store concept is the Beauty Tip Workshop which consists of an area for up to 10 clients to learn via group beauty classes led by Sephora experts, gain self-guided access to tutorials using iPad stations. Each station is equipped with its own product, iPad, USB port and wifi, making it easy to play, browse and share looks on the digital screen and online right from your own seat.

I had the chance to take one of the Beauty Classes and learn the secrets of the Bold Smokey Eye. The Sephora expert showed us first how to do it on her model and then we had the chance to try it for ourselves using all the products provided. Here I learned that a smokey eye is hard, deep shadow shades will not stay in my crease but like to migrate and make me look like I have a black eye; and that Sephora experts are really nice and even when you look like you've been punched they will still be helpful and encouraging! P.S. Said expert will be happy to know that I have been practicing and can now pull off a non-punched smokey eye look! It's actually pretty easy for even the spastic to achieve - Just apply a light/medium neutral shadow to the lid (like Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Panama Weekend - a dusty beige matte - $13); apply a deeper shade into the crease (like Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Safari - a light mauve luster matte - $13); and then blend the neutral shade outward to diffuse from the area below the eye into the crease; then highlight inner eye corners and browbones with a light nude shadow (I like a little shimmer for this so use Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Ballet Shoes - an ivory glitter - $13); and then add an additional liner layer to inner rims and lash lines and finish with mascara - easy peasy!

I highly recommend you learn from the pros an check out the Beauty Tip Workshop area and get in on a class - which you will find at Sephora Yorkdale - 416-785-4400 - check with them for class dates and times.

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with... L'Oréal Professionnel Wild Stylers by Tecni.Art Crepage De Chignon!

L'Oréal Professionnel Wild Stylers by Tecni.Art Crepage De Chignon - 200ml - $23.50 - a mineral powder fixing spray that adds a texturized effect. The spray is light so hair might  look wild but still feels natural - no roughness or stickiness. Great for fine hair like mine that normally won't hold any sort of style or even a ponytail

I found out about it when I was recently at L'Oréal Professionnel Hair Fashion Night - where hundreds of women and men in Toronto (and across the world) were able to discover the latest hair trends and receive expert advice on cut and colour from industry pros as well as have their hair styled with their pick of one of the trendiest looks of the season!

Or if need an even easier way to try a total makeover - check out the new Style My Hair App - just upload a picture of yourself and try out all the latest looks, change your hair colour, get professional tips and product advice and even find a salon near you that can give you the look for real!

Product available at L'Oréal Professionnel salons across Canada -  find one near you at www.lorealprofessionnel.ca - and download the app for free at Apple and Google Play.

- Lisamarie -

Shades, by Burt's Bees and a sneak peek of Burt's Bees Lipstick with swatches!

What happens when you give 10 amazing Canadian artists a palette of lipsticks and tell them to go crazy? You get Shades presented by Burt's Bees - an exhibition of lipstick artwork  - and I don't mean pictures of  lipstick - this art has actually been painted with lipstick! I must admit when I heard the concept I was expecting a room full of pictures of the 4 year old finger-painting variety but it's amazing stuff! I'm especially fond of this pop art inspired pin-up bee by TAVA.

If you're in Toronto you can see the exhibit in person at Arta Gallery at 14 Distillery Lane in Toronto until March 11th - otherwise, you can check out them out in the Shades gallery on the Burt's Bees Facebook page at - https://www.facebook.com/BurtsBeesCAN/  Find a picture you can't live without? You're in luck, the artwork is all being auctioned off with proceeds going to support Wildlife Preservation Canada.

Shades is also celebrating the new Burt's Bees Lipstick - $9.99 - in 14 satin-finish, full-coverage, vibrant shades: Iced Iris, Fuchsia Flood, magenta Rush, Sunset Cruise, Nile Nude, Blush Basin, Suede Splash, Scarlet Soaked, Ruby Ripple, Russet River, Tulip Tide, Lily Lake, Brimming Berry, Juniper Water - that are 100% natural with red raspberry seed and moringa oils as well as beeswax and vitamin E for 8 hours of moisture - for a lipstick that loves you back.

Magenta Rush

Sunset Cruise

The lipsticks look and smell great and I especially like the slim bullet which makes it much easier to apply evenly to all the edges without having to use a liner! Available in April at drug, grocery and natural stores across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Having thoughts of spring on a snowy day with the Nine West Spring/Summer 2016 Preview!

You won't be able to help but forget about the snow and start thinking spring once you lay eyes on the footwear offerings from the Sherson Group Spring/Summer 2016 Preview wonderfulness with ever so pretty shoes and bags. Brands include: Nine West, Anne Klein, Enzo Angiolini, Easy Spirit, Circa Joan & David, Bandolino, Mootsies Tootsies, Adrianna Papell, Taryn Rose, Adrienne Vittadini, Charles by Charles David and Flogg.

The flower shaped grommets scalloped edges are so ladylike - while the weaving and tassels on the bag add some edge!

I just love me some fringe!

Chunky wood heels and grommets - industrial hippy chic!

The heart-shaped cut-outs and pastel shades and just delicious!

Nothing says spring like a white bag - and I am drooling over this one!

I am in love with these stripey flats and citrus coloured pumps!

Oxford slingbacks with a chunky sole - the blue ones are making me drool!

Another amazing white bag!

Metallic reptile that is super sexy!

And out of everything - I would probably say that I love this purse the most - it makes me wish I was a cat so I wouldn't look crazy batting at the tassels!

All I can say is - Come on spring!

- Lisamarie -