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TIFF 2017: Beauty and Gifting Lounges

20 September, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

TIFF can be a pretty stressful time for the media covering the festival, which is why the various beauty and gifting lounges are so helpful during that time – it’s a one-stop shop to get pampered and treated like a celeb when you’re feeling anything but. This year, I was able to visit three of them in between my TIFF appointments, and month-end at work.

1. The Stylist Suite

The Stylist Suite is a celebrity styling and gifting lounge focused on bringing Canadian fashion to TIFF red carpets. Over the past five years, The Stylist Suite has gifted and dressed over 300 celebrities and personalities, including the likes of the Olsen twins, Susan Sarandon, John Travolta, Tatiana Maslany, Kiesza, and many more. The suite had an extensive selection of red carpet pieces from both established and up-and-coming Canadian designers including Andrew Majtenyi, Christopher Paunil, Hendrixroe, Hilary MacMillan, Ryan Alexander, WRKDEPT, among others. I tried on some cool clothes, learned about new Canadian designers (Patricia Wong Jewellery had some really awesome rings!), and had my portrait taken at The Pull Magazine’s Portrait Studio with celebrity photographer Matthew Lyn in support of WE Charity, an international charity that empowers domestic and international change.

2. beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart TIFF Suite

There are lots of fun parties to attend during TIFF so when beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart TIFF Suite offers to get me party-ready, I always jump at the chance. This year, I had my makeup done by a Stila makeup artist, and had my best Star Wars hair dreams realized by PHYTO. By the time I was done, I felt like one of the celebs – glam and ready to hit the red carpet. Oh, and I ran into Judy Greer in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel, so obviously it was an awesome day.

3. Bask-it Style

Bask-it Style is an annual TIFF gifting suite that welcomes media and Canadian celebs to check out the latest offerings from various brands and get a mean swag bag in the process. Bask-it Style gift bags are also delivered directly to various celebs at their hotel rooms. While visiting the lounge, I got to try the delicious beet iced tea from DAVIDs TEA, learned all about the new HP Sproket Photo Printer (perfect for wedding photo booths and for actually printing out your Instagram pics), met author Adrienne Kress (who was promoting her new book The Explorers: The Door in the Alley), and listened to Mindy Kaling’s audio book while wearing VR goggles at the Rakuten Kobo station. The gift bag also included goodies from Pureology, Studio1098, Sharp Magazine, as well as a bunch of snacks (like the yummy Toronto Popcorn Company popcorn and Hungry Buddha coconut chips) that came in really handy on days when there was no time for a proper sit-down meal. And as a random bonus, later on I found out that the girls in my time slot (see first pic in this post) were from Degrassi. Do you know which one of them is the next Drake?

TIFF 2017: Favourite Moments

10 September, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

TIFF is arguably one of the most exciting times to be in Toronto, and this year’s festival has not disappointed so far. Here are some of my fave TIFF 2017 moments, from fundraisers to celeb sightings.

1. Priyanka Chopra at TIFF Soiree
While I wasn’t able to make it to the TIFF Soiree this year, I followed the fancy affair on Twitter. Priyanka Chopra was this year’s guest of honor, in town to promote Pahuna: The Little Visitors, a film she produced with her mother, screening at this year’s festival. Chopra’s Soiree appearance was in service of TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign aimed to promote and empower female voices behind and in front of the camera.

“One-third of the films selected for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival are directed by women, with an even higher number of female-identified short filmmakers at Festival (42.4%) and the director-driven Platform programme at gender parity. Films by women at Festival this year include the solo directorial debuts of actors Greta Gerwig, Brie Larson, and Molly Parker, as well as new work by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Dee Rees, and documentarians Alanis Obomsawin, Agnès Varda, and Jennifer Baichwal.” If you’d like to support women in film, you can donate here: http://www.tiff.net/shareherjourney/

2. Call Me By Your Name Premiere and After-party
My Day 1 of TIFF began in the best way possible – with tickets to the premiere of Call Me By Your Name, a Luca Guadagnino film starring the impossibly handsome Armie Hammer and newcomer Timothee Chalamet. Going in I had no idea who Chalamet was, but after watching the film I am now in awe of this talented young New Yorker and his magnetic screen presence. The movie was a stunningly filmed coming-of-age love story set in a small town in Italy; it captured the angst, the pain, and the joy that comes with that first love. And while it was a two-hour long affair, I wanted to watch it all over again once the credits started rolling.After listening to the director and the leading men give thoughtful and eloquent answers during the Q&A, le bf and I hightailed it to the film’s swanky after-party at STK Yorkville. I had the chance to congratulate Armie and Timothee on the film, and got le bf to snap a photo of Armie and I…which he sadly bungled. Thankfully the in-house photog captured our mini photo-fail and I still ended up with a memento of my brief Armie moment.

3. Julianne Moore VIP Reception with L’Oreal Paris
Celeb encounters are always an exciting part of TIFF, and this year I was lucky to have been invited to an intimate Julianne Moore reception hosted by L’Oreal Paris. Julianne arrived looking as stunning as ever, and shared a few thoughts on her favourite red carpet moments from prior years. She stressed that every red carpet moment is a result of a “professional collaboration”, and that if left to her own devices, she’s actually not that great at blowing out her own hair. When asked about her top beauty tips, Moore shared that she wears moisturizers with SPF since she was 23 years old, she pays regular visits to Joanna Vargas for facials in NYC, and that “sleep helps”. She also revealed that she owns the same pair of Givenchy heels in every colour because of how stable they are, even if they don’t look it.

4. Mongrel House
One of the liveliest places to be during TIFF is Mongrel House, with nightly parties that have everything from table tennis to live karaoke to free poutine. This year we spotted Stellan Skarsgård, having a great time, laughing and chatting with the attendees. Shia LaBeouf and Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov also made an appearance. With a lengthy list of Mongrel Media movies screening at TIFF this year, there’s a good chance more celebs will be stopping by in the coming days, so keep your eyes peeled if you find yourself near the beautiful Campbell House at night.

5. Papillon Grey Goose After-party at STK
STK Yorkville is playing host to several film parties during TIFF this year, sponsored by Grey Goose and Nordstrom. One of the first parties held at the fancy steakhouse was for Michael Noer’s remake of Papillon, with star Charlie Hunnam in attendance. The handsome actor happily posed for photos, taking selfies with everyone brave enough to ask. A selection of delicious Grey Goose libations was on offer, but the coffee-based Star of Film Noir cocktail was my fave (Grey Goose vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur…yum!), and gave me a much-needed boost of caffeine for TIFF.

More TIFF moments are coming to the website soon! Including Jake Gyllenhaal in Stronger, and brunch with Benedict Cumberbatch!

Photo Credits: 2 – GP Images WireImage courtesy of TIFF, 2 and 5 – Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca, 3 – Ryan Emberley, 4 – Mongrel Media

Beauty: Introducing GABRIELLE CHANEL

6 September, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

For the first time in 15 years (!!!), the House of Chanel has released a brand new fragrance – GABRIELLE CHANEL, named, of course, after the the inimitable Gabrielle Coco Chanel. Created by Olivier Polge, GABRIELLE is a fresh floral fragrance with warm notes of Jasmine, fruity scent of Ylang-Ylang, fresh essence of Orange Blossom, and a finishing touch of Grasse Tuberose. This feminine fragrance is an instant classic, and the streamlined yet striking square bottle only reinforces its timelessness.

To celebrate the new fragrance, a beautiful mini film starring Kristen Stewart and directed by Ringan Ledwidge was released, capturing the essence of the rebellious spirit of Gabrielle Chanel. If you’re still not familiar with the designer’s history of breaking the rules and reinventing herself, make sure to watch the Inside CHANEL videos linked below. They offer a fascinating glimpse at Coco Chanel’s life and of course the history of CHANEL.

As for me, I am smitten with GABRIELLE CHANEL. I’ve been lucky enough to wear it for a few weeks now and it’s my current go-to perfume – can’t get enough! The new fragrance is now available at all CHANEL Beauty counters in Canada, so make sure to stop by and try it for yourself.

More after the jump!
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Beauty: CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Summer 2017 Launches

25 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you’re a fan of the glowing “no makeup” makeup look, do I have great news for you! CHANEL has just released the new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation ($70) and it’s fantastic if you’re into dewy, glowy, fresh skin that actually looks like skin. This foundation is lightweight, but buildable if you want more coverage, doesn’t get cakey, and gives your skin a boost of hydration (it’s made up of 56% water and loaded with hyaluronic acid). The recently-released Retractable Foundation Brush ($65) is the perfect tool to apply this gel foundation, with soft, angled bristles, it’s great for daily application and on-the-go touch-ups.

Along with the foundation, CHANEL has also released two new shades of Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick ($53) – shades that can go from summer to fall and add just the right amount of sheer colour to any makeup look. The creamy, velvety stick makes it very easy to apply – it’s virtually mistake-proof!

Lastly, I am obsessed with CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette ($70) – it is the perfect neutral palette for everyday, natural eye makeup. It goes on silky and sheer when dry, and can be intensified by layering, or used as an eyeliner when applied with a wet brush. If your haircolour is on the lighter side, you can also use this palette as a brow intensifier…alas, my brows are too dark, so I’ll be using it for my daily eye makeup instead.

Have you tried the new CHANEL Les Beiges launches? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Beauty: Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick

18 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

Last week, I attended the launch of the new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick at Chocolates X Brandon Olsen (literally my fave chocolates in the city!). Before learning more about the collection, we had the chance to make our very own chocolate bars with cocoa butter in lovely shades of Bite’s lippies. Suited up in our Bite Beauty lab coats, we got down and dirty with cocoa butter, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, and other delicious ingredients, to make our dream chocolate bars.

Once our creations were put in the fridge to harden, Bite Beauty Founder Susanne Langmuir introduced us to the new lipstick collection. Just like the chocolates we were making, Bite Beauty liquid lipsticks are created by hand in small batches in Toronto, using natural ingredients like monoi butter and coconut oil, which leave lips feeling healthy and nourished. The new liquid lipsticks have a semi-glaze (satiny) finish and come in 12 highly-pigmented modern shades with fun names like Braised, Flambé, Eclair, and Marsala. After trying a couple of shades, I am so impressed with how rich and long-wearing the pigments are, and unlike with other liquid lipsticks, my lips don’t feel dry or sticky during and after wearing Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick, on the contrary, they feel nice and hydrated! And while I already have quite a sizeable collection of lip products, the liquified lipstick shades are just so good, I’ll be wearing Flambé and Candied throughout the summer and Marsala, Braised, and Whip come fall.

Are you excited about Bite Beauty’s new liquified lipsticks? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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What They Wore: YSL Beauty Club

25 May, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

Earlier this month, YSL Beauty threw a spectacular bash in celebration of the iconic Touche Eclat’s 25th anniversary. The party was crazy fun and had everything: beauty claw machine, glitter tub photobooth, product engraving, makeup touch-ups, food and drinks, and a special performance by Coeur de Pirate. I go to a lot of parties as part of my job, but this one was particularly fun.

It seemed that most of Toronto’s fashion industry showed up to #YSLBeautyClub too, wearing their best “rock chic” looks – lots of moto jackets and so much black! I went with a printed “oldie but goodie” Hayley Elsaesser frock, with a fave Acne leather jacket on top, of course. Check out the rest of the looks in the gallery after the jump!

More photos after the jump!
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Beauty: philosophy time in a bottle 100% in-control anti-aging serum

13 March, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a presentation of the new philosophy time in a bottle (100% in-control) serum in Toronto. At the launch we were treated to an inspirational talk by Gabrielle Bernstein, who reiterated the importance of positive thinking and avoiding being stuck in a cycle of negativity. And while avoiding negative thoughts may help you with your inner beauty and overall sense of peace, philosophy time in a bottle serum will take care of what’s on the outside.

The breakthrough serum promises to “repair skin damage, activate skin’s natural age-resisting mechanisms and protect against environmental aggressors”. With the unique fresh-pour system (you have to mix the Vitamin C8 activator with the serum before first use) the serum’s active ingredients won’t lose any of their potency while on the store shelf, which means that once you mix them yourself, you’ll get the full benefits of the serum. And there are quite a few benefits to enjoy once you start using philosophy time in a bottle serum!

exclusive liposome complex stimulates skin’s natural repair functions to help repair skin damage at its source
potent Vitamin C8 and a patented antioxidant complex neutralize damaging free radicals to help renew skin’s protection from daily aggressors
extracts from rare himalayan red rice, red grape ferment and plantain leaf help reactivate skin’s natural age-resisting mechanisms, for results you can see and feel
innovative fresh-pour system for optimal potency of active ingredients

In an 8-week independent clinical study with the time in a bottle serum: 88% of women showed significant improvement in lines, wrinkles, texture and tone, and 100% of women showed a dramatic clinical improvement in firmness. I haven’t been using the serum for 8 weeks just yet, but I’ve already noticed an overall improvement in my skin’s radiance and tone. I am lucky enough not to have noticeable wrinkles yet, but I’m starting to use philosophy time in a bottle serum daily (before bed) as a preventative measure. And the best part is, my sensitive skin hasn’t revolted after I started using it (as it so often happens with many skincare products).

I am still in my early thirties, and while anti-aging skincare hasn’t been a priority in my life until now, I am starting to come around. It’s important to take care of your skin before the damage is done, and this is one of the steps I am taking to take better care of my skin.

So tell me, do you use anti-aging serums? Share your faves in the comments.

More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: CHANEL COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew in Toronto

2 March, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

If you’ve always dreamed of visiting a CHANEL-themed cafe, then you’re in luck! Running from March 1 to March 26, COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street in Toronto will welcome all with open arms, complimentary beauty services, and CHANEL-branded coffee cups. I got a chance to preview the space yesterday, and as always I walked away in awe of CHANEL’s ability to transform any space into a dreamlike wonderland, whether it comes to runway shows, or pop-up shops like the COCO CAFÉ.

Celebrating the launch of ROUGE COCO GLOSS, COCO CAFÉ features a variety of fun beauty stations, filled to the brim with covetable goodies. There’s a very instagrammable magnet wall, the cutest selfie backdrop, and lots of complimentary services:

CHANEL CHANCE “Juice Bar” fragrance consultations
Hydra Beauty “Bubble Bar” face or hand massages
Lip Lollipop Bar
Manicure Bar
Nail Photo Cam
Makeup Master Classes

For someone who loves CHANEL and beauty, this is the ultimate pop-up experience. Stop by, play with some beauty products, shop the new ROUGE COCO GLOSS before its official launch date (March 3rd), take lots of photos, and just have fun. The cheerful COCO CAFÉ and the beaming Lily-Rose Depp wouldn’t have it any other way.

More after the jump!
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Holidays 2016: Best Beauty Gift Sets to Buy Now

16 November, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

Despite what the weather outside would have you believe, we’re only a month and a bit away from Christmas, and if like me, you’ve been too distracted by the US election and this beautiful weather to even think about Christmas shopping, then this post is for you. I’ll be doing a usual gift guide a bit later in the month, but today’s post is dedicated to those beauty-obsessed people in your life.

Holiday time is the best time to buy beauty goodies for several reasons – not only are sales in full effect (Black Friday is coming, y’all!), but the stores are full of beautifully-packaged gift sets that offer amazing value as well. Just yesterday, I stopped by Sephora to grab a Caudalie gift set for $52 ($78 value), which contains a full-size serum that I use every day, and which normally costs $57! Even without the 2 additional products, this gift set is an amazing deal. Of course, not all gift sets offer this kind of value, some are just super-duper limited-edition, like this beautiful Pat McGrath Labs Metalmorphosis kit ($195). I don’t know any beauty junkie who wouldn’t be ecstatic to unwrap a gift like this on Christmas morning.

And then there’s another type of a beauty gift set – one that offers more than just beauty. At a recent holiday preview for The Body Shop, I learned that the company will restore 1 square meter of rainforest with every specially selected gift set purchased. How wonderful is that? And the best part is that there are so many fantastic gift sets to choose from!

Exclusive gift sets and value sets are all over the place right now, and whether you’re shopping to treat yourself or for a loved one, there’s no better time to pick one up. Below are a few of my favourites. Share your faves in the comments!

Makeup

Skincare

Fragrance

Hair

Body

TIFF 2016: Favourite Moments

22 September, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Another TIFF has come and gone, and all I’m left with is residual fatigue and lots of amazing memories. 30 minutes in the same room as Ryan Gosling? Check. Brunch with Sigourney Weaver? Check (well, kinda). Below are my most memorable moments from #TIFF16!

1. Variety Studio
Always a highlight of my TIFF, Variety Studio is usually located in a pretty small room with a handful of famous people going in and out, where you have to act cool, even when you really want to fangirl like you’ve never fangirled before. I’ve visited Variety Studio as a guest of Moroccanoil for the last few years, and I always walk away with lots of juicy star observations. This year, I breathed the same air as Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, John Legend, Gael Garcia Bernal, Gerard Butler, Gemma Arterton, Bill Nighy, Sam Claflin, ~~Miranda~~ Cynthia Nixon, and the cast of The Eagle Huntress.

Despite being in the same room as Ryan Gosling for nearly 30 minutes, I didn’t actually talk to the Canadian heartthrob. But I did watch him, like a creeper that I am. Ryan was shorter than I imagined, and looked very serious the entire time he was at the lounge (unlike Emma Stone, who was animated and smiled a lot). Strangely, I didn’t see the two interact very much – Emma was mostly with her people and Ryan with his. The only time we got to see Ryan’s warmer side, was when he spotted the star of The Eagle Huntress Aisholpan in her native garb, and went over to introduce himself. After a brief chat, he offered to take photos with Aisholpan and her family. I wasn’t quite sure whether the Kazakh family actually knew who Ryan was, but they were happy to snap a few photos with the actor. At the end of his visit, Ryan took some time to sign a postcard for Airbnb and Make-A-Wish foundation, and while waiting for the elevator, he stood right in front of me for nearly 5 minutes. It took all of my strength not to be that person and ask him for a photo; I played it cool instead…but those were the longest 5 minutes of my life. File this one under #TIFFregrets.

Just like in prior years, the British actors were my faves. They just seem to have a camaraderie that the Hollywood actors don’t seem to posses. This year, I watched the cast of Their Finest, including Sam Claflin, Gemma Arterton, and Bill Nighy, work the room and charm everyone in the vicinity. Bill Nighy made eye contact with anyone around him and said “hello”, which shouldn’t seem like a big deal, but it really is, because most of the stars don’t even make eye contact with the “civilians”. Gemma looked relaxed and beautiful, as did Sam, who seemed to be in a good mood and looked very friendly. Sam played the Holt Renfrew claw machine and had to try a couple of times before finally winning. It was cute to see how competitive he got. He also came by the Moroccanoil station to learn more about the products and walked away with a goodie bag of his own.

Other lucky guests who took home some Moroccanoil included John Legend (who chose to walk 6 flights of stairs down instead of waiting for the elevator), Cynthia Nixon (who came in looking a bit stern, but seemed to liven up at the sight of Moroccanoil…seriously!), Richard Gere (who popped in for a few minutes and was gone in a flash), and Gael Garcia Bernal (who was just as cute as I remember from back in 2007 when I met him at MTV, but didn’t spare a minute to sign the Airbnb/Make-A-Wish postcard, which was disappointing).

2. Brunch at Brassaii
Stargazing is a pretty popular activity during TIFF. You can find throngs of fans camping out on King St, in front of theatres, and waiting outside of various hotels, but did you know that you can have brunch at Brassaii, where all sorts of movie stars arrive to attend the Hollywood Reporter Lounge? It’s true! My friend Al and I stopped by Brassaii to try their new brunch menu, and in just one hour, we watched Sigourney Weaver walk in and out (apparently she requested a special vegetarian soup), and saw Felicity Jones in a pretty striped outfit. Had we had more time to hang out, we would’ve also seen Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, Douglas Booth and Bill Nighy, Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, Pharrell and Taraji P. Henson (who was greeted with a banana cream tart, lemon meringue tart, a white chocolate/dark chocolate brownie, and a Happy Birthday song). It’s so easy – the stars literally come to you, and you don’t have to jockey for position, or stand in lines for hours – just enjoy delicious food like Oreo Pancakes and Fried Chicken and Waffles, while trying not to pass out when Ryan Gosling strolls by.