Hairdryer SOS (again)

The BeSpoke Labs T3 Evolution Hair dryer has been returned!! On its second usage it kept on dying and I realized that this would not work for me. Although my hair did look good I wasn't about to have to spent time waiting for it to restart after dying on me. This dryer does cut the hair drying time to half, but if I have to wait for it to cool off everytime I switch it off, than I'm actually back to the same time it was taking me to dry my hair with my original Babyliss. Plus, at more than $200 cdn (that was SALE price) I expect the hair dryer to work properly. So, now my dilema is do I go back to Sally's Beauty Supply store & repurchase the Tool Science Nano-Silver Professional Hair Dryer or hunt down another brand? For under $100 cdn the Tool Science did a good job BUT neither were as good as the original TAIFF brand that I had tried in Brazil. If I could only find the TAIFF one that is adaptable to North American outlets than my hunt would end.

LUSH Haul

LUSH is one of those stores either you LOVE it or HATE it! You can smell this store a mile away but once you can bypass the smell there are some really nice products, and they aren't that strong smelling once applied. Some of my favourite products from LUSH are the bath bombs, the Celestial Moisturizer, Ocean Salt, and Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser. I had the opportunity to purchase a few products at a discounted price so thought "hey what the heck". No beauty junkie can resist a good discount!

Here are a few products that I purchased (for the first time), a review will follow in a few weeks as I like to test them out for a bit before giving my honest opinion:

Bath Bombs-Sex Bomb & Honey B Bath Bomb

Enchanted Eye Cream

Gorgeous facial moisturizer

American Cream hair conditioner

Curly Wurly Shampoo

the Olive Branch Shower Gel

Sympathy for the Skin body moisturizer

Anyone else a LUSH fan? Name some of your faves? Rants or Raves about any of the above products?

Have a great weekend!

Hairdryer SOS

So I'm sending my hairdryer to the hair graveyard. After trying numerous straightening products I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the products NOT working, it was the tools. On my latest work trip I succumbed to using the hotel dryer, there's only so many days in a row that a girl could wear a ponytail. Anyhow, as anyone knows hotel hairdryers are the worst dryers out there. But on this last trip my eye caught a glimpse of this silver beauty of a hairdryer. At first I thought it must have been left behind by another guest because it's impossible that a hotel would invest in professional hairdryers for its guests. But nope the hairdryer plug was literally attached to the wall, hmmm this must be good! Well, it usually takes me an hour to blowdry my hair and after all that time and numerous products later it never looked that salon great. That wasn't the case this past weekend with the hotel hairdryer. Not only did it take half the time but it looked like I had a professional blow-out! I was amazed. OK so I always knew that with the proper tools & products one can achieve shiny straight hair, but, I thought I had a professional hairdryer all this time...I currently own Babyliss Pro Ceramic Hair Dryer. The hotel hairdryer was a TAIFF Onix. So, it got me thinking what's the difference? Upon closer inspection I realized that what really made a huge difference was the watts. The TAIFF dryer was 1900 watts whereas the Babyliss is only 1600 watts, regardless of the ceramic technology of the Babyliss the TAIFF made my hair shiner and smoother. So, now I'm on a hunt for a new hairdryer and need your help. Leave me hairdryer suggestions in the comments page for dryers that have more than 1875 watts. Unfortunately, the TAIFF is from Brazil (and the plug and voltage doesn't work for North America) that's why I didn't purchase it. Thank you for any suggestions!

EDIT: September 23

OK so I ended up buying the Tool Science Nano-Silver Ionic Professional Hair Dryer from Sally's Beauty Supply store. Tried it out last night & have to admit that it was better than my current Babyliss BUT not as good as the TAIFF one from the hotel. So today while I was browsing (really just looking) at Winners I wasn't expecting to find any great hairdryers but I had a look in the beauty section. Behold, right in front of me was the "great" BeSpoke Labs T3 Evolution Hairdryer, one of the most expensive hairdryers in the market was at Winners. Yup, I was pretty floored. Of course I had to buy it at $200 cdn, much cheaper than at other retailers. I haven't tried it yet but will post a review. The best part is if I don't like it its going back (another reason I wasn't too keen on buying online. Too much shipping costs to worry about).

Any feedback on the BeSpoke Labs T3 Evolution Hairdryer? Or Sally's Tool Science Hairdryer?

(photo credit: photobucket.com and www.t3micro.com)

My makeup picks for Fall & Winter'08

I LOVE Fall & Winter! No not because of the below-freezing temperatures & slushy, dirty snow but because of the makeup colours & layering of clothes. I love scarves (that's why I love to knit them, well...because I haven't mastered the art of knitting outside the lines so to speak) and hats., boots, coats, the list goes on! Long walks in the park, crunching leaves with a pair of fabulous boots, making snowballs & snow angels in the snow, and drinking hot chocolate or Tim Hortons French Vanilla coffee, yummy!. Here are some of my favourite looks for Fall/Winter 2008! Which are your favourite looks?








(photo Credit: style.com, Fall'08 Backstage)

Time to cuddle with Lagerfeld

Fashion Designers design fashion, duh! But there have been a few to go outside their realm & collaborate on other ventures such as furniture, makeup collections, video games, etc...However, there is only one designer out there who actually went the step further & quite possibly iconic enough to actually have a teddy bear resemble himself, Karl Lagerfeld. So the bear does have some sort of resemblance! The signature Lagerfeld leather gloves, sunglasses, and tie. However, is it worth the price of $1,500 usd exclusively sold at Neiman Marcus, there will be only 2500 limited edition teddy bears manufactured. The German maker of stuffed toys, Steiff, approached Lagerfeld about producing the teddy bear. The bear will have the Steiff gold button in its ear & five pivoting joints, just in case you want to make Lagerfeld dance! Its being launched this September 15th until quantities last.

"I really love animals, particularly when they are stuffed with cotton or polyester," said Lagerfeld, who grew up in Hamburg, Germany. "That way you can guarantee that they won't bite, won't claw, won't smell bad and make your things dirty." But Lagerfeld said he is not likely to take the bear to bed. "I sleep totally alone, only with myself," he said. (news.yahoo.com)

(Photo credit: new.yahoo.com, wmagazine.com)

Fall for Fashion, Fall'08

Minimalism or Simplicity? Lace or Plaid? Frills or Architectural lines? Fall 2008 Collections had a bit of everything. Womens tailoring took on masculine porportions but at the same time glamour was evident in its design. Some fashion critics state that the current state of the global economy was the influence in Fall's minimalistic approach. However, a few designers fought against that by adding dashes of colour, lots of plaid, luxurious lace, and glamour.

Featured designers:

3.1 Phillip Lim, 6267, Christian Lacroix, D&G, Dolce & Gabbana, Diane Von Furstenberg, Erdem, Etro, Givenchy, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Marni, Prada, Zac Posen

(photo credits: www.style.com)

my recent new love

Don't you love that feeling when you finally try a skincare product that actually works well. Its that "eureka" moment that seldom happens. With so many skincare products out there finding the right ones that work for you can be tiresome and tedious. With that being said, there isn't just that one item or brand out there. What can work for you in one season might not work well in the following season. I've blogged before about some of my favourite cleasnsers, however this summer while in St. John's, NL I walked into TVAL and couldn't resist trying their skincare line. I had never heard of this store but cannot rave enough about their skincare line. Amazing! In the past I have raved about cleansing oils and how I love the Shu Uemura Skin Purifier Cleansing Oil. The latter being one of my top faves, although FANCL & DHC are high up there on my list too. Well, on this trip I picked up a large sample of the Deep Cleansing Oil with Mandarin & Cedar, Cleansing Gel with Cucumber & Rhubarb, and Resurface. Tval Skincare philosophy is pretty simple:

It is easy to be seduced by all fun, fancy and exotic ingredients out there (especially as the formulator, I've been tempted many times!), but if they don't really do anything for your skin why put them in there? We believe that "Less is more" when it comes to skincare. We are exposed to so many substances in our daily lives, so why add more? We chose ingredients that have been proven to actually help your skin, and we cut out all the rest. No fillers, no short cuts! (Anna Hellqvist, founder of TVAL)

My Review (I waited a month before reviewing):
Deep Cleansing Oil with Mandarin & Cedar
I absolutely love this oil cleanser! It has surpassed my expectations & I like it better than my Shu Uemura. Its not a thick cleansing oil, very fluid, and washes off nicely! The smell is divine too! I like to message this a bit into my skin & either follow with the Oil Cleansing Method or the Cleansing Gel with Cucumber & Rhubarb. According to the TVAL website;
Makeup, debris, pollutants and other pore-cloggers are easily dissolved with this Deep Cleansing Oil. The mandarin oil is clearing and stimulating, and cedar is used to treat dermatitis, acne and eczema. The oil is easy to rinse off, and your skin will be left with a deep clean feel, and yet so soft to the touch. For reference I have combo skin that is prone to clogged pores & this has left my skin radiant. No clogged pores to report!
Retails $7.00CDN travel size or $16.00CDN full bottle
5/5 score (hmm that would make it HG status)

Cleansing Gel with Cucumber & Rhubarb
Another great find from TVAL! This cleanser is SLS free (yipee) & Vegan too. Does not strip skin or leave it feeling tight. Instead your left feeling hydrated & clean, washes off makeup well (even when I don't use the cleansing oil prior). And the smell is refreshing! Lathers just a bit (not too much) & all you need is a pea size amount.
Retails $7.00CDN travel size or $16.00CDN full bottle
4/5 score

Resurface
What a great scrub this is! Gentle scrub with very fine particles. Leaves you skin glowing! Depending on the amount of pressure you use & what you can tolerate be gentle! For more sensitive skins use a light hand. This works really well & now that the colder months are approaching can't wait to continue to use Resurface as part of my fall/winter skincare regime. And I love the light scent!
Retails $11.00CDN one size.
4/5 score

My skin is looking better than it has in a long time. I will add that I'm not very generous with my scores thus when I like a product that works & delivers I can't rave about it enough. And to be fair I've been using this for a month therefore in a few more months I'll blog about the progress again.

With that being said I plan on visiting TVAL Toronto store & picking up a few other items. On my list is the full size Cleansing Oil, Buddha Eye Cream, Oil-free Lotion with Strawberries & Salicylic acid, & either the Golden Olive Face Serum or one of their other moisturizers. Also, while in TVAL in St. John's I had the opportunity to meet the owner Anna Hellqvist , it is so nice to meet someone who is passionate about their products & knowledgeable. All TVAl items are developed in-house.

Store locations:

Tvål280 Water StreetSt. John's, NewfoundlandA1C 1B7

Store Hours:Mo-We 10-6Th-Fr 10-9Sat 10-6Sun 12-5

Phone: (709) 579-7627

Tvål799 Queen Street WestToronto, ON

Store Hours:Mo-Fr 10-6Sat 10-6Sun 12-5

Phone: (416) 815-7627

Or check out their site:

TVAL Skincare

The new "Do"... the Pixie is back!

Seems like the new hair trend is to go short, really short! The pixie is back! I love short hair but it doesn't suit everyone & if I could I too would have short hair. However, because I have a bush on top of my head short hair is pretty hard for me to pull off. OK so I'm exaggerating (a bit) but I find short hair is alot of maintenance. And I'm quick to pull my hair in a ponytail whenever I don't have the patience to blow dry it, which is daily. For me the ponytail is my security blanket, easy, no fuss, & ready to go. However, it does get pretty boring & I've been in a "hair rut" for way too long. Therefore, I need some inspiration. But I don't think going as short as a pixie cut is the style for me & its not a matter of fear because hair does grow back its a matter of becoming a "hair product junkie". I already own far too much makeup for someone who doesn't even work in the industry (my room looks like a mini-Sephora warehouse) I don't need to add more fuel to the fire with hair products. Although, underneath my bathroom sink there's already enough hair products to last me a year (if not more).


Mia farrow's pixie haircut, 1960's

The pixie cut originated in the 1960's & Vidal Sassoon is credited with popularizing the cut, also know as the "elfin" cut. Actresses such as Mia Farrow, Audrey Hepburn, Goldie Hawn, & model Twiggy were the first to sport the new do. The latest celebrities to join the pixie cut trend are (friends?) Katie Holmes & Victoria Beckman.


Katie Holmes earlier this year with the bob (which I loved) & now her new pixie.


Victoria Beckman with her famous "victoria" bob (which I love too) & just recently the pixie.



Jennifer Anistons' "Rachel" & Farrah Fawcett's "Wings"

Past famous requested hairstyles: the "Rachel" on Jennifer Aniston, named after her character Rachel from Friends (just in case some of you have been living underneath a rock) & Farrah Fawcett's "Wings" made famous from the show "Charlie's Angels".

Which hairstyle did you prefer on Katie & Victoria? You know where I stand...hmm now if I could only find the right hairdresser to cut my hair into a bob. Any suggestions?

(photo credits: poplife.biz, zimbio.com, photobucket.com)

Makeup, its not just for women!

Did you think that the only men to wear makeup were in rockbands? Or perhaps just Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. In the past we've seen men in rock bands (or pirates) wear lots of black eyeliner, however, put down that liner because YSL has just released a concealer exclusively for men. The famous YSL Touche Eclat Radiance Touch, which acts as a highlighter/concealer for undereyes, is one of the top selling makup items across the globe. They have now launched a male friendly counterpart that is fragrance-free. A spokesman at YSL said:

"We have developed YSL Touche Eclat For Men specifically for men to help encourage men to use cosmetics as a skin enhancer, rather than to create a full makeup look." The men's version of Touche Eclat is unfragranced and gives eyes the appearance of being "more revitalised, piercing and deep". (telegraph.co.uk, Sept.7,2008)

The male model that will launch YSL Touche Eclat in the U.K is former Big Brother 9 (UK) resident Stuart Pilkington. Seen below Stuart is demonstrating how easy it is for any male to use the "magic pen" as it is often referred to as. Weather that be with his shirt off or on! (Notice the black liner which he is famously known for in the U.K)

The YSL Touch Eclat will be sold at Selfridges and later in the year it wil be launched in North America for the retail price approx. $45.00 cdn.

A glimpse into the Toronto International Film Festival

Amanda Peet & Keira Knightley (above)


Kate Beckinsale & Renee Zellweger (above)


Rachel Weisz & Evangeline Lily (above)

Anne Hathaway & Jill Hennessy (above)

Jessica Biel & Rachel McAdams (above)

Jennifer Aniston (above)

There were many stars at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. A few dramas as well, such as keeping ex's away from walking on the same side of the street. But alas Toronto was a buzz with so many celebrities in Town. Here are just a few of my faves!

Did anyone have time to catch any shows? I'm embarrassed to say that I've been busy working & unfortunately haven't seen any.

(photo credit: imagebam.com)