In Beauty

By Becca Shrimpton

Scent can be such a major memory trigger. Think about all the fragrances you used to wear, if you smell them now they totally bring you right back to that moment in time when you originally wore them. I could come up with about three solid examples right now, but I already see a distinct pattern between roller/lipgloss combos and boyfriends, and I don’t need to go there. Memory evoking fragrance is exactly what Christina Burgess, owner of Augustina Boutique in Toronto, had in mind when she created a trio of Private Label Eau De Parfums with Perfumer Susanne Lang. These scents have been around for a while now, but due to their narrow distribution they’re almost like a very well kept secret in this city. Each of the three scents are named after a street in Toronto, and designed with the memories of CB’s experiences growing up on the streets in mind. These sensory accounts translated to beautiful bottles of Roxborough, Avondale, and Woodlawn. Roxborough is described as the muskiest of the three, sophisticated with rich, spicy notes; sultry and confident like the vibrant street of grand maple trees. Avondale is the most popular scent, fresh and floral including notes of neroli, bergamot, jasmine, and lilac, reminiscent of the winding roads and ivy-covered walls of this urban oasis. And lastly, Woodlawn is a crisp green fragrance with woodsy notes that induce recollections of early summer garden parties. Customers are actually known to mix Avondale and Woodlawn to create a new fragrance altogether. Whatever your preference, there’s a scent here for you to create sweet little memories all your own. To get your hands on a bottle, visit Augustina Boutique in the Yorkville neighbourhood.

http://www.augustinaboutiques.com/index.php/toronto_store

By Becca Shrimpton

Take note from the s/s runways and latest celebrity style to achieve the look of the moment. This season, it’s easy to exude major on-trend beauty with a mix of hard and soft; toning it down in some areas and amping it up in others. It’s this marriage of contrasts that are so choice for spring.

Big Braid
A side swept, loose, oversized braid is so appropriate as the warmer weather hits. As seen on Nicole Richie and Christina Hendricks , and on the runways of Alexander Wang and Miu Miu, this over-the-shoulder look requires you leave your hair pretty much in its natural condition and let pieces naturally fall out. So low-maintenance, touch-ups are hardly required.

Bright Nails
Nude nails aren’t totally out of the picture, but now the thing to do is draw attention to yourself with look-at-me-nails that give a super powerful hit of colour. You can go with a bright or neon hue of whatever you’re into, like the intense candy green seen on Brittany Gerena and Nina Dobrev. Bonus points for a polish with glitter.

Pastel Shadow vs. Winged Out Liner
This is an either/or situation to bring major attention to your eyes. You can go the route of Derek Lam and Versace using sweet sorbet shades of shadow that are soft and sheer, or Oscar De La Renta and red-carpet ready Olivia Wilde with a sweep of liquid liner that wings out for a bold approach. Either way, you’ll have a reason to bat your lashes.

Nude Lip
Tone down your lips with a taupe or skin-toned lipstick for a way sexy pout. Worn by the likes of MK Olsen and Sandra Bullock and seen on the runways of Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and Versace, this simple and clean look is out of control pretty.

Sparkle Sparkle
Glitter is being seen a lot on the runway (see: Prada), and on the more playful of celebs. Lightly dust some on your eyes to catch the sunlight or get creative and dab some on your lips for a wicked nighttime style. This sparkle can also be found in the polishes of the season, like OPI’s Alice in Wonderland Collection. The fun thing about this trend is you can interpret it however you want.

New Essie colours make me smile.

By Becca Shrimpton

For fall 2009, Essie has created a great polish collection that consists of killer neons and neutrals called Cuddle With Color that I can’t get enough of. Such pretty colours to pair with fall's layered fashions have got me craving cool weather constantly. The colours include: Angora Cardi, a dark dusty rose; Mink Muffs, a deep creamy taupe; Bright Tights, an electric citrus orange, Chinchilly, a gorgeous granite grey; Pink Parka, a super hot pink; and Midnight Cami, a shimmering midnight blue. I’ve tried out all the shades and have a soft spot for each one of them. What’s even better, though, is that each of these polishes can be given a silky matte finish with Essie’s Matte About You Matte Finisher topcoat. We all are pretty aware by now that matte nails are in, and now you don’t have to worry about running out and buying all new polish in matte shades; with this finisher all your current colours can be matte in seconds. It’s genius. These gorgeous colours with matte finishes are becoming the major obsession of beauty bloggers and editors alike; this fall you’ve just got to get your own hands on them.

What can I say, they give good head.

By Haley Cullingham

Last week, the lovely ladies at Blo Blow Dry Bar did me the honour of teasing my decidely flat hair to unimaginable heights. I already loved Blo for their enthusiastic use of dirty puns, but I'll admit, I walked into the bright pink and high-energy Yonge Street blow dry bar a skeptic. My hair is a flat disaster-I've had many a hairdresser promise curls and volume, and none have ever delivered. But I walked out of Blo a well-coiffed convert.

The brand new Toronto outpost of this Vancouver blow dry bar is as slick and shiny as can be-the perfect place to knock back a glass of wine while you debate the merits of sexy/messy rock star hair vs. a sixties bouffant with your stylist. As I luxuriated in the two-at-a-time blow-dry treatment, my mind was secretly planning all the perfect events you could have here-blow outs before birthdays, showers, weddings. Maybe I would buy a girlfriend a blow-out before her next big job interview? Or maybe I would just buy myself another one...and another one...

Meeting with my post-blowout sushi date, the reaction to my hair, which had been teased, tamed, and turned into a Brigitte Bardot status temptress-'do, sealed the deal like a no-frizz shine serum. This blow dry thing could easily become an addiction.

THE VIBE: Stylists are chatty, funny and happy to tell you what they think looks good.

THE JOB: A well-illustrated and descriptive flip book tells you your options. Delicious smelling in-house products are a treat, and you'll leave with locks you never thought possible.

THE PRICE TAG: About $30

WHERE: 2594 Yonge St.

by Becca Shrimpton

Kiehl’s Since 1851 has many, many items that I love in its family of quality products, but there are some that totally stand out as my favourites. This is one of them; a super creamy eye treatment that combines avocado oil, vitamins A & E, shea butter, and beta-carotene. Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado was a response to customer requests to create a thick preparation to help keep the skin around the eye area well hydrated.

This is such a great cream because it feels buttery upon application and has a pretty refreshing sensation on the skin. I love that it can be applied both during the day and at night and works great underneath makeup. It doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes, which obviously is a major plus; the thick texture holds the cream in place. Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this product. It’s a great moisturizer for all skin types and great purchase to make.

It’s all about the word-of-mouth recommendations for Kiehl’s, you know? And I totally cherish this product.

By Bec Shrimpton

While shopping around at a craft show in the Beaches neighbourhood a couple of weekends ago, I discovered an amazing Ontario brand offering incredibly good-for-you products. Bee By The Sea‘s Sea Buckthorn and Honey Body Cream and Lip Balm are packed full of natural organic ingredients like honey, royal jelly, vitamins, and oil from the sea buckthorn plant, which is a major source of antioxidants. The products are developed in Ontario and are never tested on animals. It just doesn’t get much better then that. I tried out the lip balm and, seriously, I could make out for hours with this stuff. It is incredibly softening, just like the body cream, which has a super light and fresh scent.

It just feels good to use quality products that were made nearby. Real good.

www.beebythesea.com

Calvin Klein spices up this summer with the launch of ckIN2U Heat &ndash for her; an erotic combination of fruits and flowers. Dubbed as the “modern cocktail,” you will be swept away by sweet appletini, blood orange, orchid, frangipani, ginger, cedar, sandalwood and creamy musk fragrance. This is a scent for lounging poolside, sipping wine on a patio, or sneaking away from the yacht party with a steamy summer romance. Summer is all about keeping it fresh, so pair this fragrance with some bold new items, and get a look as refreshing as a passion iced tea lemonade-but don't forget, the best option to beat summer heat is stripping down, and on long, hot summer nights, ckIN2U might be all you need to wear.

Summer looks are all about experimentation. Sport sultry eyes with these fab colors, which even come in a cute black case with a Hello Kitty plastered on the front of it. Hello Kitty Eye Shadow x4: Lucky Tom. $46 at MAC Cosmetics.

Tired of the summer heat killing your hair? Rock the “hot mess” look by spoofing some of this goop into your mane. It’s also alcohol free, so it won’t dry out your hair. John Frieda’s, Frizz-Ease Corrective Styling Gel. $7 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Have a taste of this summer`s tastiest look – the cupcake dress. Match it with soft floral patterns for a day out on the beach or a night out on the town. $88 atwww.urbanoutfitters.com.

Spend the summer chilling to the cool tracks off Jason Mraz`s, We Sing We Dance We Steal Things. $13 at HMV.

Be sure to turn heads, day or night, with this cute little number that works with just about anything in your wardrobe. Mazzarrone. $40 at Aldo.

Go nuts with funky new colors. Dive into this deep purple hue! Zoya Hope Nail Polish ZP212. $6 at www.artofbeauty.com.

Stir the summer heat up with this fabulous cocktail: Mix a glass of orange juice with ice, Absolut APeach, and top it off with a sliced peach. Absolut Peach Vodka 750 ml. $26.25 at the LCBO.

Without a doubt, feeling beautiful starts from the inside. So glam up your internal wardrobe with some of these funky pieces. Fun and flirty, they`re great under summer skirts. Lace Hip-hugger. $16 at www.victoriassecret.com.

Wrap yourself in this chic scarf for those chilly summer nights. Crinkled Wool Scarf. $48 at BCBG Max Azria.

By Stephanie Daga 
www.blushpretty.com 

Why do people think that’s okay to tell you that you look tired?  I mean, why not tell me that I look “toe up”?  It’s the same thing right?!?! 

CoverGirl  has a great new mascara to help you shut people up.  Try their CoverGirl Exact Eyelights Mascara, which is formulated to make your eyes shine up to four times brighter.   

Designed to complement your natural eyecolour, Exact Eyelights comes in four flattering shades each infused with light reflecting metallics: Black Pearl (Brown eyes), Black Gold (Hazel eyes) Black Sapphire (Blue eyes) Black Violet (Green eyes).    It also has a no-clump wand with plastic bristles which combs through the fullest of lashlines easily.  So not only do your get bigger and brighter eyes, you also get a flirty lashline to frame them. 

So there you go, a mascara that makes you look anything but tired.  Up to four times better to be exact.  Now if only it could get you four times more sleep

by Stephanie Daga 
www.blushpretty.com 

It’s the catchy phrase being used everywhere … even Barack Obama recently remarked how the beautiful first lady was entitled to it.  Madonna has it, Kelly Ripa has it, and that girl at your gym who does biceps curls for days on end has it as well … “the right to bare arms!” 

As the summer months creep up on us, the tissue weight tanks tops and halter tops are being dusted off and gaining their own right to your top dresser drawer.  Baring your arms is what summer is all about; but if you are going to exercise your right, make sure you do it properly.  It’s not about the biceps, triceps, or perfectly sculpted shoulder – it’s about the underarm.  Yes, the underarm.  Stubble is certainly not attractive, but neither is razorburn, sweat stains, or odor.  Be sure to give your underarms the proper care and attention they need. 

The makers of Secret antiperspirants and deodorants have partnered up with Olay to bring to you Secret Flawless Touch Conditioning Solid.  It’s a touch of Olay moisturizing to pamper and smooth the skin combined with Secret’s wetness protection. The formula goes on clear, dries to a powder (but not chalky) finish and conditions the skin while keeping unwanted odors at bay. It’s two major powerhouses coming together to make the unseen part of your arms touchable, soft, and dry.  How novel! 

The Flawless Collection replaces Secret’s former Platinum Collection but still provides all the same benefits.  In three forms: Invisible Solid, Conditioning Solid, and Clear Crystal Gel, there is a formula perfect for you to keep you smelling fresh and protected throughout your busy day! 

Now that’s a right I’m willing to fight for! 

By Stephanie Daga 
www.blushpretty.com 

There is something to be said about therapy.  It’s about addressing your issues, repairing the damage, and moving on.  And it’s quite expensive.  Well … the same thing can be said about hair therapy.  

Now that winter is past us, our locks are free to be tousled by the wind and brought out from underneath its hat; but let’s face it our hair isn’t ready to do that.  It’s been treated abusively by the cold weather and scarred by indoor heating.  It needs some TLC. Graham Webb’s Silk Repair Advanced Therapy Treatment is your new Dr. Phil. 

Weekly salon treatments can cost you.  Just like the Self-Help section of your local bookstore, this is an affordable option to all your hair issues right from the beauty aisle. In just five short minutes, three simple steps, and with two smooth creams, luxe and healthy hair is yours.

Graham Webb’s Silk Repair Advanced Therapy Treatment is all about fresh ingredients and their Thermacore Complex – a conditioning formula activated by heat. It’s an intensive treatment to bring back your hair’s natural vibrancy and vitality, no matter how damaged.  To use the Advanced Therapy Treatment, all you need to do is mix the two creams (Part A and B) together to create a rich, lightweight, foam.  Apply to hair for 3 to 5 minutes.  Rinse.  Finish with your regular styling routine. Easy, right? 

Gentle enough to be used everyday on extremely damaged hair, it can also be used as a weekly treatment in between your regular salon appointments.  You can find Graham Webb products at professional salons nationwide. One sachet of the product (30 ML / 1 oz) retails for less than $10 CDN and it most likely good for 2 to 3 uses on mid-length hair. 

See, therapy from your own couch … (actually, your shower – you know what I mean!).