around the office {Travel Tuesday}

Around the office, referring to my job as a flight attendant, is not what you imagine to be a typical office. Perhaps you sit at a desk; your familiar with those surroundings, those objects are what you see everyday. My surroundings at work and what I consider my desk are; a plane, a hotel room, a layover. Today's Travel Tuesday I bring you what I see everyday at work.

passport & agenda

my foreign money change purse & metro passes

my window seat

hotel card

foldable shopping bag (just in case)

What do you see everyday at work?

Skincare on-the-fly {Travel}

beauty to go by beautyparler featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs makeup & travel bags

As I write this I've been on the go for five days which means that packing the appropriate Beauty Travel Must-Haves are essential. Not being a fan of packing too many beauty products, always tempting considering the amount of items at home, the last thing I want to happen is broken products. Plus, the amount of liquids thru airport security is so limited, really not necessary the hassle of products taken away due to excess.
Here are a few products I've been loving;
La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra; one of La Roche Posay's newest products in Canada I love this light-weight moisturizer and will be repurchasing as it has changed my skin. Targeted for those with allergic and intolerant skin, which I am neither, nonetheless I've had no reactions to this product. Actually, less clogged pores and smoother skin. A new long-term favourite!
Vichy Aqualia Antiox Eyes; an old favourite for tired eyes which I've blogged about in the past. This little eye stick lasts forever (keep it in the fridge), feels fantastic around the eye area especially when chilled. The packaging has changed a bit but still great product. Best part not part of the airport liquid restrictions!
Marcelle BB Beauty Balm; I've recommended this BB Cream to so many co-workers as its one of the best in the North American market. The most similar to its Asian counterparts, this BB cream won't leave you oily. Perfect amount of light coverage, especially for travelling when I hate wearing heavy makeup.
MyChelle Fruit Enzyme Cleanser; a sulfate-free cleanser that is gentle and removes makeup. Love the feel of  this cleanser, doesn't dry my skin and leaves it refreshed. I have the travel size version which fits perfect in my makeup bag.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream; this is a vaseline for adults! Actually think of this product as vaseline on steroids. Originally developed for skin burns this cream (more like a greasy balm) is "an everything" product. Use it everywhere you feel dry! An old favourite here at beautyparler.ca!
Cleansing Cloths; being a big fan of cleansing cloths I'm not loyal to one brand in this department. I do prefer the dry cloths that foam with water but don't dismiss the wet version. These are perfect as a mask, leave in hotel mini-fridge and after cleansing your skin apply for a few minutes.
Spray Water Bottle; find a travel size version of a water spray. This are perfect to spritz your face with during a flight, feels refreshing and hydrates.
What are your travel skincare must-haves? For airport tips read an older post here! Or search "travel" under the search function.

ready for a Foam Party? {facial cleansers}

its a foam party...facial cleansers by beautyparler featuring philosophy face cleansers

These last couple of days in Toronto have been HOT! Finally and thankfully, however, warmer weather also means my skin doesn't love the feel of too much makeup. A tinted moisturizer or a light foundation is enough for me. As for skincare, a pump-foaming cleanser is my favourite for warmer weather. Especially as a morning cleanser. In general, foaming cleansers do not strip the skin and are gentle. So gentle that depending on the formula you will need a separate eye makeup remover (if using as an evening cleanser).  Although not all are created equal, in my opinion a cleanser doesn't stay long enough on your skin to penetrate therefore I'm from the school of thought that a fancy expensive cleanser is not money well spent. In no particular order I've listed my favourites, price points vary but I am sure you can easily find one of the above in your area and price range.

1. Aveeno Ultra Foaming Cleanser; oil-free cleanser, fragrance-free. Its claim to fame, contains Feverfew (related to Chamomile). I've repurchased this many times, an old staple of mine.
2. Vichy Purifying Foaming Water; soap and paraben-free, no alcohol, its one of the few foaming cleansers that actually removes eye makeup.  Your actually suppose to apply this with a cotton pad on dry skin and no rinsing necessary. However, I prefer to apply to dry skin and message into skin followed by a rinse. Repeat if taking off eye makeup. 
3. Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Wash; you don't have to have acne to use this oil-free cleasner! Contains 2% Salicylic Acid, great for unclogging pores.
4. Philosophy Purity High-Foaming Daily Cleanser; contains aloe! Another cleanser where water is not needed but I prefer to apply on dry skin & rinse afterwards. Slight drying effect therefore great for oily to combination skin types.
5. Live Clean (Fresh Face) Foaming Daily Cleanser; in general I am a huge fan of Live Clean products; great, inexpensive, eco-friendly products that delivery quality. Live Clean recently added the Fresh Face line; facial skincare. Contains Orchid extract, Vit C, and many other goodies. This cleanse is "free" of so many harmful ingredients refer to link to read the list, impressive! 
6. Dermaglow Foaming Cleanser; an old favourite (a repeat fave on beautyparler.ca). Originally recommended to me by a co-worker which I'm glad because this soap-free cleanser is super gentle. No parabens, no dyes or fragrances. 

Do you love pump style foaming cleansers too? List your favourites!

Do you need Structure in your life? {Joico: Structure Hair Care}

Last month Joico Hair Care introduced a new hair styling range. Structure is a funky line of 100% vegan, free of sulfates, parabens, silicones,animal derived ingredients, no artificial colours and dyes, glycols, gluten, DEA and MEA. Whew! Basically free of all the nasty stuff for your hair.
When it comes to my hair I wouldn't exactly classify it as funky or edgy. Actually a little boring so a little Structure with an edge was needed. Off to Exit Salon to meet Joico's International guest artist Lance Blanchette, he gave me a personalized Structure demonstration on how to use the new line of styling products.   Although Structure is targeted at a shorter funkier crown of hair, Lance was able to style my hair the way I like using Structure's Paste. Simple but chic! He taught me how to make a "simple" low fishtail (sorry just can't seem to get it right, sticking to braids), and he then created a fishtail messy bun. That's how funky I get!

My favourite of the set is the Structure Renovate: Restorative Hair Treatment. Use as a weekly deep conditioning treatment, leave on for 5 minutes and wash. Leaves hair super soft and manageable, just what my dry ends needed. Perhaps one of these days I will go super short...and funkier?

Structure Hair Styling products are available exclusively through salons.
For more info visit:
Structure Hair

the Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Flight Attendant {Travel Tuesday}

Oh you see us flight attendants in airports, strolling along with luggage in tow, cheerfully smiling at all hours of the day! But the truth is its not always glamorous...

That luggage has travelled with us to every corner of the world and is probably on its last leg, that perma-smile might be masking lack of sleep, and truthfully we all have bad days like everyone else in any other profession. For the last five years of being a flight attendant; I can write how to pack efficiently for a weekend trip, where to buy the best beauty products in the World, where to get the best lattes in any city, etc...

But the truth is its not always glamorous.

Today's Travel Tuesday post is the Not-So-Glamorous....

(1) Food Poisoning: 

So where does one eat when one doesn't speak the language? Two choices: pick a North American fast-food chain where you recognize the menu (a bit boring) or Pick a crew member that speaks the language and tag along. My first years flying I got the food poisoning bug (many times) and its not pretty! No makeup will hide that greenish tint, no Gravol will subside the nausea, and no amount of liquid will stay down. And the last thing you want to do is call your crew scheduling department from overseas and tell them you can't work the return flight home. Yes, it happens and yes you can get stuck for days in a hotel room until your cleared to fly back home. It ain't pretty!

(2) Missing Special Occasions 

Yup, sitting on a beach for work can be a pretty sweet deal (and not many layovers include a beach). However, when it falls on a Special Occasion not so sweet. Christmas, Birthdays, Weddings, etc...forget those dates because you cannot make it! Yes, there are dates that you will be able to attend by some fluke in the scheduling system you were able to get the day off however for the most part, nope.

(3) Hotel Rooms

Ah, Hotels! The luxury....or not. Once you've seen a hotel room you've seen them all. Yes, of course there is a variation and star rating associated to different chains but at the end of a long work day all you want is a clean bed and clean towels. Once you get past the aesthetics of a room, remember someone slept in that room before you! I'm not germaphobic but....bed bugs (thankfully never had an issue), pubic hair in what you think is a fresh towel on a rack (gross), hairs in the made-up bed, etc...Want me to go on? 

(4) Jet-Lag

Forget a hot bath to relax in before bed (you read above #3 Hotel Rooms), a sleeping pill will not work either (just don't want to go that route), basically you sleep when you get back home. Long layovers are a thing of the past! Flight attendants are lucky if awarded a layover close to 30 hours; on an international flight the best thing is to not look at the clock of your origin. Sleep is essential and normally your body is tired after a long flight anyway. However, if you have just worked a red-eye flight and location upon landing is morning your best bet is to take a short nap or stay up till night-time. Our circadian rhythm has little time to adjust but by following the clock of destination is the only way to a well rested layover. 

Have any of the above factors effected your travels?

Aside from the Not-So-Glamorous factors of the job I still love the job!

What is your perception of Flight Attendants?

share...

Which MAC Cosmetics Fashion Set are you?

Being a flight attendant which category do I belong to? Did you know that not all makeup colour trends are equal across the Globe, each country has their trendy shade of the moment. Well, being a teen in the 1990's it is no surprise my favourite MAC Cosmetics Fashion Set is......SPICE!! And no I wasn't a Spice Girls fan. Ah MAC Spice lipliner, the coveted shade of the 90's Supermodels. A shade made popular by the late make-up artist Kevyn Aucoin. A shade made popular by all the kilt wearing Catholic girls at my highschool, can't even imagine how many MAC Spice lipliners we must have purchased.
MAC Cosmetics fans across the Globe regionally declared their shade; Spice shade falls under Africa and Europe. Guess, I am a Globe trotting makeup slut after all. What MAC Fashion Set are you?

MAC Fashion Sets: nail lacquer, lipstick, lipglass

available at MAC Cosmetics counters until June 28, 2012

(images: beautyparler.ca, maccosmetics.com)

Natural Beauty {Spring 2012}

simple.natural.beauty by beautyparler on polyvore.com

Lippy Girl Organic Mineral Blush
An all-natural Canadian cosmetics line, eco-friendly, organic, vegetarian, and vegan. This company does not test on animals; no chemical preservatives, parabens, no synthetic additives thus basically cruelty free for you to use! Loving the Lippy Girl Organic Mineral Blush in shade Bitch Slap (love the name too), a gorgeous berry shade that provides just the right amount of a "flushed healthy look".

kaia naturals Juicy Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths
Another Canadian based cosmetic company, these bamboo 100% biodegradable cleansing cloths are a travelers must-have. Soaked in 8 pure essential oils, contains salicylic acid, no nasty chemicals performs as a cleanser, toner, hydrating.

Burt's Bees Tinted Lipbalms
A hydrating lipbalm that's 100% natural. Available in six shades my favourite are shades: Hibiscus and Red Dahlia

Dark Angels
Being a fan of Angels on Bare Skin I wasn't surprised that I liked Dark Angels. A mix of Angels on Bare Skin and Coalface; this is a grainy cleanser that acts both as a scrub and mud mask. A little messy (don't use in bathtub as I learned the hard way) but great as a bi-weekly facial product. Especially with warmer months I get oilier and this feels refreshing.

Have you discovered any new natural products lately? Share.

Clearasil PerfectaWash {Giveaway}

With the warmer weather around the corner who doesn't want perfect skin. I actually wear less makeup in the Summer, mainly tinted moisturizer as I prefer to allow my skin to breathe. I find that my skin feels congested when I have too much on in the hotter months. Hopefully, for those suffering from acne Clearasil's new PerfectaWash giveaway might be your answer. This product would be great for a teenager or even a young adult, the idea is pretty simple and fool-proof. Its a first-ever automatic acne cleanser dispenser, the concept is that the touch-free PerfectaWash dispenses the "perfect dose" of cleanser, use it twice a day.  So simple!

The Clearasil PerfectWash Starter Kit contains:

• Clearasil PerfectaWash dispenser (runs on three AA batteries)
• three month supply of two Ultra Rapid Cleansers; Superfruit Splash and Soothing Plant Extract which contain 2% Salicylic Acid (great for unclogging pores)

Giveaway includes:
Clearasil PerfectaWash system including refills
Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Daily Cream Wash
Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Cream
Clearasil Ultra Overnight Wash
a $100 value

This would be a great gift for your teen at home or perhaps yourself. I'm tempted to try it myself! But as you have probably guessed I try everything beauty-related. The Clearasil PerfectWash System was recently launched in Canada, would love to hear feedback from any who have tried it. And for those that haven't here's your chance!
Rules:
Open to residents of Canada only
I want to hear your acne stories and what products work for you! Leave your answer in the comment section of this post.
Deadline MAY 22, 2012
Winner will be chosen randomly.
Goodluck!!


and the winner is....
Jonnie (JB)
Thank you all who entered! Winner please email me your address & Congrats!
(images: courtesy of MaverickPR)

Decorate on a Budget {Kijiji Finds-Interior Design}

For the last few months I have been raving to all my friends about my amazing Kijiji finds! First, what's Kijiji? Basically, an online market where you can buy and sell basically anything. Like Craigslist. Back in December when my husband and I bought our first place the dilemma was how to furnish a new home on a limited budget. I didn't want to look at empty walls and sit on the floor and I also didn't want to "break the bank". So how does a newlywed couple afford decent furnishings without having to go the full IKEA route. OK so IKEA is great for accessories and dorm rooms but for a couple in their early thirties it was time to grow up. As we shopped around we realized that good quality furniture made with actual real wood is not that easy to find. Oh sure the shell is real wood but upon further inspection its all MDF. Quite frankly I don't feel like spending my Saturdays putting together furniture. So, nights on the internet with my new found friend Kijiji!

Yup that table was FREE & it was our first Kijiji find

also has two inserts so expands to sit up to 12 people!

As for the resto chairs, originally I wanted Eames-inspired chairs but although Eames tulip chairs are stylish not so comfortable.

Brand new factory surplus sofa, score!!

There are two items I will not buy used:

sofas & mattresses, as this was new major deal!

This was my latest find and the hardest. As I didn't want a match-y bedroom set most furniture stores will not sell dressers separately, surprisingly neither on kijiji. This was many nights of research! 

Here are a few Kijiji tips:

(1) Time & Patience: I found there was not one particular day to find amazing items. Originally, the idea was weekends were best but all the above items were found during the week. So perhaps less traffic!

(2) Contact info: its so easy to contact the seller. There is an email feature with each item!

(3) Watch: Not sure about an item, just watch it! Watch, is a feature indicated by a star. Just click on it & go back to it later. But you don't want to wait too long because its all about first come first serve. I didn't score all my Kijiji finds as I was late in replying to the ads.

(4) Access: Have access to a MiniVan or SUV. This is where friends come in handy. So beer is good to have around too, for after the delivery of course!  

Have you ever purchased from an online market? If yes, share what you have purchased in the comment section. I love to hear about good deals!

Swap 'til you Drop {Toronto SWAP Event}

Take off your clothes and SWAP it! Founded in 2007 by Aleece Germano, it all started back when Germano organized a small swap in her living room. Basically, the idea is how mass consumption of clothing can be recycled by swapping with others. Brilliant! The S.W.A.P Team has grown into a non-profit organization run by volunteers , and has expanded from Germano's living room into the biggest clothing swap with several locations in Canada and the U.S. Next week is Toronto's Take off Your Clothes swap event;
May 11 2012 6pm-9pm
at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse
admission: $10 advance or $12 at the door
advance tickets click here!
Earlier last month several Toronto beauty and fashion bloggers were asked to fashion a few items that will be swapped at the Toronto event;
myself, BeautyParler
Janice, Style Sister
Kristy, Monochroma Chic
Justine, Whatever...EuroTrash
Olivia, The Cheap Girl
SWAP Team on Facebook
There is still time to swap, drop off your clothes by May 7, for more info on what you can swap read here!

For images from behind the scenes, check out Beauty Parler's Facebook page 

Have you ever swapped? Share your stories.

a chick with silky hair {Mixed Chicks & Live Clean: reviews}

One of my pet-peeves about leave-in hair products is crunchy hair and build-up. I have the most unmanageable hair (for some reason hairstylists love it), I have to work on my hair in order for it to look good. Which means that 90% of the time my hair is either in a ponytail or loose bun. Boring!
Believe me I am willing to try any hair product that hydrates and conditions hair. Problem is most products either leave my hair flat, frizzy, and dry. Oh sure they work at first but after a few months I need a clarifying product due to all the buildup. Finally two products and so far no buildup.
Rewind two months ago, two products arrived at my door step to review. Sure! Promises...promises! Two months later and still loving:
Mixed Chicks Hair Silk; a hair serum that can be applied on wet &/or dry hair. Can be used to achieve straight smooth hair or for a curly look, any texture really. I prefer to apply a quarter size on wet hair (my hair is past my shoulders), starting at the ends & working my way up the hair shaft. A little goes along way, this light serum doesn't weigh hair down. Hair will dry looking and feeling natural, like no product. The way I like my hair to look! For a more polished look apply dime size on dry hair.
live clean professional: damage therapy Restoring Spray; the eco-friendly line of personal care products has added a new addition to their haircare, a professional line. This product leaves my hair incredibly soft and touchable. Spray all over hair while wet and wide-tooth comb hair. I use this before the Mixed Chicks Hair Silk. Lots of good ingredients in this product + free of harm-full chemicals, check out the ingredients here. The key ingredient is the 100% pure kendi oil, a light oil that doesn't weigh hair down.

The above two products used together have changed the way I style my hair. As I'm trying to let my hair grow out hair dye to get it super healthy I've been trying to use gentle products. These two products make that easy! Also, for the last two months I've been using sulfate-free shampoos, which include both the  haircare brands above. Switching to sulfate-free has made a huge difference.
Look for a post on sulfate-free haircare soon, with expert advice from my very own hairstylist who swears by sulfate-free products. I'll explain; what is sulfate-free, the benefits and the difference.

Product information:
Mixed Chicks-is a set of products developed for diverse hair textures. Meet the original hair chicks and learn more about the products here
order online or several locations in Canada

Live Clean products are available at most drugstores in Canada and mass-merchandise stores.
For more info on where to buy in Canada & US click here for locations.
(As for all my reviews: non-paid, based on my personal experience, no future compensation will be given)

Confessions of a Flight Attendant {Travel Tuesday}

Today's Travel Tuesday is about  my job...if your new to my blog I'll let you in on a secret. Blogging does not pay my bills and very few bloggers I know have been able to leave their day jobs and blog full-time. So, how does one gal afford her beauty addiction? She works of course! I started this blog and working as a flight attendant simultaneously. It was an unconscious decision to begin writing beautyparler, combining my two passions coincided perfectly. It occurred to me to start a travel blog instead but the idea of a beauty blog was already planted in my head months before I applied for the job. While I was teaching English overseas I caught the travel bug. Shopping for beauty products was a past time, I was addicted  hooked on makeupalley.com and the latter also filled my down time from teaching English. I longed to read and speak English while abroad and quite frankly was a bit lonely so I turned to the internet. Upon my return to Canada I was out of a job and the airline I now work for was hiring. So, I went to the open house only to be greeted by 200+ flight attendant hopefuls. I almost left...

(image Lavazza Calendar 2006, photographer: Ellen Von Unwerth)

Fast forward five years and here I am still blogging and working as a flight attendant, I love both! Its not easy scheduling blog time and working therefore whenever there's a lapse in between posts its most likely due to my paying job. And on days I return home I could either be too tired or jet-lagged. 

The next chapter in my life is trying to get my business plan of creating a cosmetics line into a reality. A dream I've had for the last three years. But before that I will continue to enjoy the two things I love most: travel and beauty. 

If you liked today's Travel Tuesday post let me know. Next week I'll share the Not-So-Glamorous part of the job!

(images via Dark Roasted Blend)