Beauty | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

What They Wore: YSL Beauty Club

25 May, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

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

Beauty: NARS Velvet Lip Glide Liquid Lipstick

6 September, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

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

17 August, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

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.

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

SEPHORA at Yonge and Eglinton is Now Open!

11 July, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

After months of walking by the store and wondering when it’ll finally open, SEPHORA at Yonge and Eglinton (2300 Yonge St to be precise) has finally opened its doors with a little help from The Estée Edit ambassador Irene Kim. Finally, uptown dwellers have a SEPHORA store to call our own. And let me tell you, this one’s a beauty!

The new uptown location is any beautyholic’s dream come true and is the largest SEPHORA store in North America. With a bright and spacious layout, a wealth of makeup, skincare, and fragrances, a 12-seat beauty studio, and complimentary drop-in services (polished brows, blush & bronze, essential eyeliner, flawless foundation + COLOR IQ, and so many more!), this is one awesome SEPHORA location to visit…and it’s literally less than 10 minutes away from my house. So good, yet so bad!

So tell me, are you excited about the new SEPHORA store? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More after the jump!
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Beauty: Revlon Mascara Revolution!

5 May, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

Sponsored Post
Are you ready for a mascara revolution? Because Revlon’s got you covered! The newly launched mascara collection has a formula for whatever your heart (and lashes) desire – from length to volume, to I-want-it-all.

There are 5 new formulas:
-REVLON ULTIMATE ALL-IN-ONE™ MASCARA
-REVLON DRAMATIC DEFINITION™ MASCARA
-REVLON SUPER LENGTH™ MASCARA
-REVLON ULTRA VOLUME™ MASCARA
-REVLON VOLUME + LENGTH MAGNIFIED™ MASCARA

I tried them all and here’s what I thought:

Without makeup, my eyelashes are medium-length, not very full, and if I’m being honest – pretty average (see below). And though I personally prefer natural-looking lashes, who wouldn’t like more fullness and length? This is where the Revlon Volume + Length Magnified Mascara worked its fiber magic – my lashes looked longer, fuller, and not at all clumpy. I didn’t need to apply a lot of product, and after just a couple of swipes with Revlon Magnifying Lash Brush™, I was staring at a doe-eyed me. This was my personal favourite formula, followed closely by Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara. This mascara was definitely a lot more subtle, which is perfect for the everyday eye makeup look. I loved how natural this mascara made my lashes look – natural yet still a lot fuller. I did have to use a few swipes to achieve the desired effect, but I personally prefer to build up instead of applying too much right away.

Next up, I tried the Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara, and I absolutely loved it…except for one thing. This mascara promises 5 benefits in 1: volume, length, definition, lift, and rich, intense colour. The Revlon Power Mini Brush™ may seem like it’s too tiny to get the job done, but it actually works, you guys. I found the brush to be pretty user-friendly, and the small size helped me avoid smudging the mascara on my eyelids – bonus! This formula goes on quite wet (so don’t blink or sneeze while applying), but dries fairly quickly. And while this mascara delivered great-looking lashes (long, defined, full, lifted, and intense), it flaked quite a bit more than the other formulas I tested. I tried applying Revlon Dramatic Definition Mascara over All-In-One as a top coat of sorts and it actually helped, but didn’t completely solve the problem.

More after the jump!
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Shopping: Sephora Summer 2016 New Arrivals

28 March, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

Last month, I got a chance to stop by the Sephora Spring/Summer 2016 preview to check out the upcoming new arrivals. With Sephora being the ultimate destination for all things beauty, the preview was chock full of cute makeup bags, delicious perfumes, innovative skincare, covetable palettes and so much more! Knowing how overwhelming sorting through a ton of new arrivals can be, I chose my top 10 fave new products that will be hitting the shelves this spring.

There’s the diverse fragrance collection from Derek Lam, the ingenious Formula X nail polish remover (insert all 5 fingers, and remove them polish-free – works like magic!), the super-versatile Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE concealer palette, and the magical Bliss Climate Control wand that will help reduce redness and puffiness when used cold and boost absorption of products when hot. The new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea collection is full of must-haves, but the lip colours were my personal fave! I was also lucky enough to preview the Minnie Mouse x Sephora collection, and let me tell you – it’s adorable! From uber-cute packaging (once you use up the eyeshadow palette, you can use the case as a clutch!), to the most perfect red lipstick, this is one lovely collaboration! Check out my top 10 Sephora new arrivals below.

1. Derek Lam 10 Crosby Fragrance Collection Gift Set ($115)
2. Formula X Delete All 5 Finger Nail Polish Remover ($18)
3. Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Correct + Conceal Palette ($61)
4. Marc Jacobs Beauty Cover(t) Stick Color Corrector ($52)
5. Tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick in Wet Suit ($26)
6. The Estée Edit by Estée Lauder Mattified Lipstick ($26)
7. Sephora Collection Breakups to Makeup Bag ($33)
8. Bliss Climate Control ($169)
9. Origins Maskimizer Skin-Optimizing Mask Primer ($27)
10. Minnie Mouse x Sephora Collection

You Are Invited: CHANEL All Access Beauty Event at Holt Renfrew

19 March, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

I am not a morning person, but I sprang out of my bed bright and early to preview the new CHANEL All Access Beauty Event at Holt Renfrew earlier this week. Located on the Concourse Level of the Bloor Street flagship, the CHANEL space is as chic as it gets. Don’t call it a pop-up shop, but it certainly feels like one!

Running until April 10th, this is definitely one of those “RUN, DON’T WALK” events. Not only can you choose from a selection of complimentary services* (Makeup Master Class from a CHANEL pro, anyone?), but there’s a “create-your-own-gif” photobooth, complete with cool props like the lipstick piano and drum set. And if that’s not enough excitement for you, cocktails will be served every Thursday from 5pm-7pm. Magnifique!

The space itself is a visual gem – with rows upon rows of lipsticks and nail polish in various poppy shades, glam vanity mirrors, and other très CHANEL details. At the end of my visit, I walked out with the new Rouge Coco Stylo, which quickly became my new favourite lipstick/balm. It’s super moisturizing, glides on for a smooth and creamy application with a superb colour pay-off – a must-have summer lipstick.

CHANEL All Access Beauty event at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street will be held until April 10th, so make sure to stop by and find your own perfect lipstick and nail colour, or simply pretend to be in a CHANEL band. You know you want to!

*Check out the list of complimentary services after the jump!
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