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Beauty: Introducing GABRIELLE CHANEL


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.


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Beauty: CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Summer 2017 Launches


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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


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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.




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What They Wore: YSL Beauty Club


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!





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Beauty: philosophy time in a bottle 100% in-control anti-aging serum


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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.


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You Are Invited: CHANEL COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew in Toronto

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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.

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Holidays 2016: Best Beauty Gift Sets to Buy Now

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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!

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TIFF 2016: Favourite Moments

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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.

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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).

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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.

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Beauty: NARS Velvet Lip Glide Liquid Lipstick

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Last week, I attended a preview of the new NARS Velvet Lip Glide liquid lipsticks ($34) in Toronto, with special guest and NARS National Lead Stylist Gillian Okopny. I was lucky enough to end up in Gillian’s chair for my own lippie application and she chose the vampy La Maine Bleue as the perfect match for me. As she applied the shade to my lips, she dabbed some onto her fingers and swiped it onto my cheeks as well, creating a cohesive lip and cheek look. And while initially I was a bit apprehensive about the lip glide not being matte enough to my liking, after wearing various shades all through the weekend, I am officially obsessed! The highly-pigmented formula is packed with NARS’ Oil Infusion Complex and feels like heaven on my lips – not even a little drying. Right now, I’m all about Danceteria, but the rest of the shades are just as fun. I can see how NARS Velvet Lip Glide lippies can become slightly addictive – they are so easy to wear!

NARS Velvet Lip Glide comes in 13 poppy shades, and will be available in stores on October 1st. Check out the rest of the shades below.
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Lily-Rose Depp for CHANEL No.5 L’Eau Ad Campaign

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Last time Lily-Rose Depp starred in an ad campaign for CHANEL was for the pearl eyewear collection, and I am still kicking myself for not getting the pair that was featured in the photos. Well, this time around, Depp is the face of CHANEL No.5 L’Eau, and she looks like a beautiful mini-me version of young Vanessa Paradis. Good genes run in the family! I am totally loving the new generation of CHANEL girls, including Willow Smith…even if it makes me feel just a little old.
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What do you think of the new ad campaign? Do you like Lily-Rose as the face of CHANEL No.5? Share in the comments.

Photo Credits: CHANEL

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