L'Oreal Infallible Lipgloss

Lipgloss that lasts 6 hours? I didn't know what to think either, but now that I've tried L'Oreal Infallible Lipgloss it's what I use every morning. Like most lipglosses the colours go on slightly sheer and the look is shiny but the gloss really is long-wearing.

You use the heart-shaped applicator and slick on a coat of the gloss (just one, one coat is enough), and then wait for it to set. I must admit that the gloss does take a good 5 minutes to set properly, and though it might seem like a long time, when I'm getting ready in the morning, I don't find it difficult to wait that long. Once set, the gloss is slightly sticky but lasted me through a coffee (though some does come off on the cup) and a salad.

At the end of the morning, the gloss didn't look perfectly applied of course, but it was still there and I was pleased with that.

Like I said, I like this so much that I use the colour Sangria most mornings and reapply maybe once more during the day. If you want to try this, enter the contest, 2 L'Oreal Infallible glosses will be included in the prize!

Colour!

Remember those pops of colour I told you about? Well Lise Watier serves them up in eyeshadow quads from its summer collection called Toscana. We have Terre on the one hand that has shades of green in it.

While Mer features a lovely bright blue.

But Henna, I hear you complain, I can't pull off colour, I don't want something so bright on my lids!

Relax. Peep the quads again. There's a reason that Lise Watier makes sure that there are neutral shades in each, and that's so that you can work them into your look.

I wouldn't use the bright colours over my whole eyelid unless I was going out. What is cool, is if you take the brighter colour and either use them on the other edge of your eye or use them as liner on the top. That way, you get a bit of colour that just adds a little something extra.

Still not convinced?

Well then try the balms - especially the orange one (it's on the right-hand end)! Orange lipstick was seen on all the runways for this season, and I've had a hard time finding one that I can really get behind, but this is it. It's pinkish-orange gloss that lets your lipcolour show through so it doesn't look overly orange.

Whatever you choose, the Lise Watier summer collection offers something for everyone. There's also a great blush and bronzer that are a part of it and both have a hint of pink in them so that they still look natural. Enjoy!

Oh and one more thing: my own pictures of the lovely quads.

Clinique Long Last Glosswear

I alluded to a few new Clinique launches a while ago, and as promised individual reviews of products from the summer collection are what you can expect now.

Clinique now introduces Long Last Glosswear with spf 15. It's a little sticky, it's semi-sheer, and yes, it's ultra long-lasting.
Even if you don't normally frequent the Clinique counter, you have got to check out this gloss in Knockout Nude. It's the perfect nude colour for the summer and will go with any makeup that you have. Of course, I loved mine so much that I lost it somewhere, but I've since replaced it for another and wear it all the time. It's also very long lasting and is SPF 15 which is great for the summer!

Estee Lauder Ultra Light Gloss

Estee Lauder introduced a new gloss as part of its spring collection - Ultra Light Gloss (shown in Sparkling Shell). If you hate sticky glosses, then this one is for you because it's not even slightly tacky. The texture is actually slightly oily but the gloss does seem to stay on your lips. I will say that it wears off a little quickly, but that's to be expected.

Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip Gloss

Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip Gloss is the strongest lip plumper I have ever tried. I am aware that some of you love that extreme minty feeling, and so if that's you, pick up this gloss. I must say that the tube it comes in is super-chic too, so it definitely looks good coming out of your purse. The Volume Seduction is at drugstores everywhere.

Coastal Scents Glossi Glaze

Readers who have experimented with mineral makeup might be familiar with Coastal Scents, a company that sells mineral makeup online. I've reviewed their foundation before, and it wasn't bad.
The Glossi Glaze lipgloss, however, is another story. They are meant to be moisturizing and "perfect" but I found them to be far from that. The formulation is a little too hard and waxy which means that the pot container isn't the best method of delivery for this gloss. The colours I tried were nice but I just didn't feel like scraping the gloss out and then melting it with my fingers.

The price, however, is reasonable: $5. But, for that much, I could buy a CoverGirl or Caboodles lipgloss at the drugstore and be happy with it, so it's not necessarily $5 well spent.

Smashbox O-Gloss... One of a Kind?

Some time last week, I got to try Smashbox's O-Gloss. Like the O-Glow Blush that came before it, Smashbox O-Gloss promises to customize its colour to your lips. And of course, what it really does it turn the same bright pink shade no matter who applies it and where they apply it. Want proof? Take some of the product and rub it into the back of your hand. You'll see that it turns bright pink. If you like the colour, then super, if not, then keep moving, I guess.


Personally, I like the O-Gloss colour but the wow factor has worn off for me. Especially because I came across Too-Faced Mood Swing Lipgloss a week before, and it is essentially the same thing.


The only difference that is Mood Swing says that it's going to change colour according to your mood. The truth is that it turns into a bright pink gloss - no matter what mood you're in. It really depends on how much you're in the mood to spend - the Too Faced gloss is slightly cheaper.

CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers

I think that all women have their own little pick-me-ups. One of those things that you get for yourself when you're having a bad day or hear bad news. For some people, it's treating themselves to a food product like a doughnut or a double mocchacino with the whipped cream. For others, it's picking up a cheapie lipgloss in a flattering colour.Well that's the story behind my CoverGirl Wetslicks gloss. I didn't get it for myself, but gave it to a friend this past weekend, and it really cheered her up! It has a fruity scent and taste, and the Berry shade that I picked was a winner on her (and it would be on anyone). It was pretty sweet how something so small could make such a big difference.

Oh, and this gloss isn't sticky either, so that's a bonus.

Dior Creme De Gloss

Creme de Gloss is the latest offering by Dior. Essentially, it's a lipstick that's liquid enough to come in a tube. It's as pigmented as a lipstick and wears like a lipstick too! Besides the packaging, the difference is that it is so smooth. There aren't a lot of colours available but with a mix of brights and neutrals (including an orange-based red), there's something for everyone. This is perfect for those holiday parties when you want to wear a lipstick but don't want to wear lipstick. Get yours wherever Dior products are sold.

Beaute Lipgloss

In case you're unfamiliar, Beaute is the newish line of brushes and lip glosses by Canadian makeup artist Beau Nelson.

If you've been looking for a gloss that's completely unsticky yet stays on for a long time, then look no further. The Beaute Luminous Volume Gloss goes on smooth and actually moisturizes your lips. I thought that this gloss wore like a lipstick but felt so comfortable on my lips. I'm loving the shade that I got too - Paramour, a lovely pink with golden shimmer in it. It's perfect worn with darker eye makeup and I use it almost daily.

You can buy products in the Beaute line at Holt Renfrew or at the Beaute website.

L'Oreal Fall Colour Collection - Timeless Seduction

I have to say it: L'Oreal's fall makeup collection is one to rival any department store makeup brand's. The colours are beautiful, the products are of high-quality, and it's all at a price that makes it worth your while to refresh your fall makeup bag.

Lets start with a staple item: lipgloss. L'Oreal Colour Juice glosses are slightly sticky but they stay on for a long time. Blushing Berry is my favourite shade and it's great if you're looking for a dark pink lip colour. Touch of Nude is a light coloured gloss that has the perfect amount of pigment - it won't wash your lips out, but it'll match your smoky eye beautifully.
Speaking of Smoky Eye, L'Oreal is introducing these new lovelies.
Scared? Don't be! These crayons are so fun to work with and with them you can do a smoky eye so easily. These are like compacted shadows. I like using them wet. You get great pigmentation, and they stay in place without the help of a primer! My favourite colour is the first one, Bronze Foil. The colour is a dark pewter shade that's shimmery. Since I've gotten it, I've been using it every single day to line my eyes. You can even sharpen the crayons in order to get more precise lines. If I didn't have brown eyes, I'd get the black crayon. It will really help light eye colours pop and can even be used to help darken shadows that are too light.

You could, of course, just use the L'Oreal eyeshadows if you wanted.

I would say that these are pretty much the best quality shadows that one can get at the drugstore. They barely crease and the colours are absolutely beautiful. The palette on the very right isn't one that I'd normally go for, but the colours are so wearable! The yellow shade is actually a golden colour and it works nicely when the darkest green is used as a liner.

Lastly, don't forget about nail colour! The silver and gold are nice departures from the dark colours of the season. Gold is going to be huge during the holiday season, and this gold is sparkly and anything but boring. I love the blacks. There's a Gold Patent and a Silver Patent - both are black nail polishes with gold and silver shimmer respectively. I am loving the gold one - it warms up the black and makes it pretty! The Pro Manicure line also has a high level of shine and stays on for a reasonably long time. I think that gold is going to be the colour of the season, so if you're over the black, that is the one that I would get. You know that these products are going to be in limited numbers so pick up the line before it's gone!

As a little extra, here are my pictures of the line. I sharpened the black crayon and you can see that the loss of product is so minimal that it's worth it to sharpen the crayon if that makes it easier to use. You can also use a damp slanted brush to pick up the colour and use it to line your eyes or a regular brush to apply colour on the whole eyelid.

Canadian Beauty News: August 17, 2007

TGIF - and today is new product day. Here's a review of what's just come out on shelves.

Benefit That Gal
Yup, this primer is now on shelves, and the good news is that though it's pink in the tube, it actually adds hardly any colour on to your face and ditto with the shimmer. Yes, I did find that it smoothed out my skin slightly and made it appear brighter, but it's not silicone -filled so it's not going to give you that super-smooth feeling like some other primers do.

Oh, and if you've been wondering about the packaging - this is basically a cream product. The top of the tube has little holes in it and when you twist the bottom the primer comes out of the holes (sort of the same idea as cream deodorant). I don't know why they picked this method of delivery rather than just putting the primer in a regular tube, but knowing Benefit I bet it has a lot to do with the sheer novelty of the packaging. In any case, there's nothing wrong with it, and though this is a makeup primer, I'd recommend it for those people that aren't going to wear any foundation on top since any brightening would likely be lost once this primer is covered up.

Fresh Sugar GlossThis is a conditioning gloss from cult brand Fresh. This gloss is a spinoff on the brand's popular Sugar lipbalm and it does smell, but not taste, like sugar. It's glossy and comes in nice colours so if you're already a fan of the Fresh brand, then have a look at this.

Bare Escentuals
A lipstick that's 100% natural? That's what Bare Escentuals is saying with their bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipcolor. The lipstick contains no preservatives or unnatural pigments and the company claims that this will prevent your lips from drying out or becoming irritated. The lipstick itself is very highly pigmented and comes in a selection of beautiful colours. My favourite is Gingersnap which is a brownish pink with gold shimmer in it, but I found many colours I liked in the collection and they wear beautifully. Definitely have a look at these if you're thinking of getting a new lipstick and want something that lasts.

Link Love

Preview Creative's fall lacquer collection before it hits stores.

Bronze is all the rage this summer. Get the how to here.

Skin Care Review : Zensation Healing and Soothing Mask

In 3D

Remember MAC LusterGlass? it's still on the market, and it can be thought of as Lipglass's little sister - the colours were similar to the Lipglasses, but the finish wasn't as sticky. Well their texture is a lot like that of MAC 3D glosses. The difference? These come in colours that are either very bright or on the pale side. My favourites are the brights. If you like the idea of a reddish lip stain but the Benetint or Vincent Longo hasn't worked for you for whatever reason, you might want to try the cherry red 3D Glass. I've noticed that once the gloss wears off, your lips are left with a bit of a stain which I really like. The brightest shades (In 3D, Wondershine, Boundless, Racy, and Algorithm) are my favourites. They go on sheer so they are quite wearable but they can be layered for a brighter look.

In any case, the lip glosses are pretty great if you've been looking for something non-sticky and with a punch of colour. Incidentally, the collection also includes a group of lip pencils that are sheer but not glossy. Their texture is like that of sheer lipstick and because they're shimmerless and matte, I think that they really would help gloss stay on longer. You can find the entire In 3D collection at your local MAC counter.

Top Model Makeup

Top model Coco Rocha says that she's going to be wearing a darker shade of lipstick come fall. This she tells to Style.com. Let's just take a minute to picture this top model walking into Sephora and sorting through all the lipsticks until she finds her favorite. Perhaps Ms. Rocha will be sporting her lipstick with office clothes like the ones featured on the Peter Som ready-to-wear Fall 2007 runway.

Or perhaps she will wear it with evening wear like Natalia Vodianova below for Vogue. Either look will be quite pretty for fall with minimalist eye makeup and an almost 40's approach to dressing.

Aren't you so excited for winter?

Yeah, me neither.

Though I'm no designer muse, I'm not evening thinking about fall right now and am content to wear the colours of now. For that reason, may I suggest a lovely neon hue to brighten both your mood and your makeup palette. I'm especially loving MAC Lipgelee in She-Boom! which is a lovely bright pink. Also nice but not as neon is Lancome's Juicy Tubes Tropiques in Strawberry Glass.

If you don't try anything else adventurous in the makeup department this season, I urge you to at the very least try on a very bright gloss. Make it blue-toned like the ones I've mentioned and it'll help make your teeth look brighter too! The overall effect can help pull you out of a makeup rut in a snap.

I'm not going to be even thinking about dark gloss until September or October but when I find the perfect one, I'll be sure to let you know.

Canadian Beauty News: June 15, 2007

Hello poppets! (Points if you recognized the Mrs. Doubtfire reference there.) It's finally the weekend and I don't know about you but I'm a little tired out this week. Makeup does always cheer me up, though, and I'm hoping that these new products do the same for you, so lets get started!

New MAC collection

MAC's new collection is called C-Shock and is filled with... you guessed it, colours that are BRIGHT! Yellows, blues, and pinks make this collection what it is and here's a rundown of what's included:

Lipstick

Blast O’ Blue Sheer mid-tone blue (lustre)
Overrich Creamy silver pink with white pearl (glaze)
Out To Shock Soft metallic coral with silver pearl (frost)
Vivacious Sheer mid-tone pink with silver pearl (lustre)
Pomposity Bright raspberry with silver and pink pearl (frost)

Lipgelee

She-Boom! Creamy magenta (cream)
Lil’ Sizzler Metallic peach with pink and white pearl (frost)
Mega Soft metallic lavender with silversparkle (frost)
Sugar Shock Sheer red berry (cream)

Eye Shadow

Going Bananas Soft lemon yellow (frost)
Eyepopping Soft lime green with gold and yellow pearl (satin)
Wondergrass Intense kiwi green (frost)
Big T Intense aqua with green pearl (frost)
Fab & Flashy Mid-tone orange with gold pearl (frost)
Bang On Blue Royal blue with pink pearl (frost)
Romping Rich Magenta with pink pearl (frost)
Passionate Bright clean red (matte)


MAC collections are so intriguing - you never know what you're going to get, but I certainly didn't expect to see a bright blue lipstick! Though I was mildly shocked when I first saw it, my instinct told me that MAC would give us something that was wearable - and this shade certainly is. It's a very sheer shimmery blue and you know what? Even I can pull off this shade. Die-hard makeup lovers will want this in their kit because it can instantly turn a too-warm shade of lipstick cooler! When I slicked it on my bare lips, they turned a mauve colour and it was actually quite pretty. The effect will depend, of course, on how much you put on, but I could get away with a couple of coats.

I also love the bright lipgelees - they're a bright pop of summery colour and go perfectly with the no-makeup look you might be wearing anyway. Check the collection out at a MAC counter near you!

Estee Lauder High Gloss Plump

Have you wanted a lip plumper but were waiting for one from a brand more familiar to you? Well the wait's over!

Estee Lauder now has it's High Gloss in a plumping version. The gloss smells sort of like cinnamon and produces a burning effect on the lips rather than one that's cooling (a significant characteristic to note among lip plumpers). I've been using this gloss and I really love the feeling - to be quite honest, I find it very addictive! It's not a painful burn but I'm not very sensitive so remember to keep your own threshold in mind when you use any product that might irritate your lips.

The gloss comes in beautiful High Gloss shades, and is available in creams and shimmers. When I use lip plumpers I actually like clear ones because the burning action makes my lips turn a nice shade of bright pink! Estee's version has a beautiful shimmery shade called Opal Plump and it's gorgeous on. Visit an Estee Lauder counter and try the glosses on for yourself!

Products Now Available!

I've noticed that Shoppers Drug Mart has been expanding in a big way and the products that you can now find at your local drug store are quite impressive! I've recently seen that they now carry some products from the Dr. Hauschka line (though not the cult favourite pink Drying Lotion)! I've also noticed the Zeno zip zapper (officially called the Pro Acne Clearing Device) among other goodies, and I'm actually dying to try it and I might now that it's more readily available.

I've also been reading a great deal about the new Holt Renfrew store that opened up in Vancouver. It seems that more excitement has been generated by its amazing beauty floor than any other department! Among some of the lines now available to Van city dwellers are Cle de Peau, Becca, and Besame! It may just be the right time for me to make a trip out west!

Great Beauty Reads:

A Touch of Blusher tells us about an "unprecedented masterpiece": Suqqu Clear Veil Powder.The Mineral Makeup Blog reviews Bare Escentuals Prime Time.

The Perfume Bee reviews Razala Natural Perfume.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Canadian Beauty News: June 1, 2007

New Lipglosses!

Lip glosses are everybody's favourite, whether you're beauty-obsessed or not. They're all different, easy to use, and if you buy the right colours you know that you can wear them with almost everything.

The newest addition is one I reported on last week - MAC Tendertones. They're smooth, sheer, and smell yummy. My favorite colours are the pinks - they're so perfect for summer.

I also really love the new offerings from Bourjois. They've introduced 4 new formulations: Eau de Gloss, Fresh Kiss Minty Lipgloss, Baume de Nuit Night Lip Balm, and Duo Lip Scrub and Baume. I found the minty gloss not sweet enough and it didn't taste like anything so I'm thinking that it would disguise bad breath more than anything else. The scrub was good but the accompanying gloss was too pale for my highly pigmented lips so it didn't suit me, the night balm is excellent, and the Eau de Gloss is definitely the most intriguing of the lot.

Eau de Gloss is mostly water but the formulation itself isn't watery at all. It goes on more like a gel and is very sheer. I was very surprised and impressed by the staying power of the gloss - it's not sticky at all but manages to really stick to the lips. The gloss feels slightly cooling when you put it on due to the amount of water in the gloss and it's a very pleasant feeling.

Smashbox has also introduced a new lip gloss that's in a pot - available in four colours, these balms are soothing and have a hint of tint - almost like Smashbox's own cheek tints. These little pots are easy to carry around and expand Smashbox's already thorough line of products.

I think that the reason that these balms are being introduced in the summer is because consumers may not feel like wearing a heavy lipstick in the heat of the summer. You want to look carefree and have light easy makeup and putting on a thick layer of matte lipstick doesn't really help accomplish that. It's lip gloss all the way!

Prescriptives: The Nudists

I also had a look at the new Prescriptives collection this week - The Nudists is the exact opposite of The Vibrants of course, but the same rules apply when it comes to looking at colour. The collection is everything you could hope for in a nude collection - natural looking lipsticks and blushes, which a bit of colour coming from the eye colour. They've also helpfully divided the collection into warm and cool toned colours so if you're at a loss at how to match colours, I would just pick the side you like best and go with that.

I myself liked the cool collection because it features a new colour of my favourite Moonbeam Reflective eyeliner - a pretty shade of purple called Beaming Twilight. They already had a violet eyeliner but it went on very light and silvery and this shade is darker. It's a nice balance with the nude look that the rest of the products provide. If a very natural sheer look is your style then this collection might have everything that you're looking for!

Readers' Questions

Last week, I received the following email from A:

I would like to use a bronzer, preferably matt so I can wear it to work on days where I have to do presentations to executives.

Do you have one you can recommend?

Well, A, I think that you're definitely on the right track when you want to find something that's matte. As much as I like products with shimmer, I find that they draw attention to your makeup and are least obvious when used at night. For daytime, I would recommend using Cargo bronzer - it comes in a skin-true colour and the tins are huge, ensuring that your brush gets a nice even dose of bronzer.

Note as well that there are two ways to wear bronzer: the first is to dust it where the sun would naturally fall - on the bridge of the nose, on the forehead, and at the tops of your cheeks. The second way is to dust a layer only at the perimeter of the face. This make the center of the face look brighter and it looks as if it is glowing. You might want to experiment with both methods and see which one works best for you.

I would like to answer readers' questions every week so if you want a product recommendation or are just wondering about a product, email me at: henna@canadianbeauty.com or leave a question in the comments section of any post!

New Look Coming Soon!

Canadian Beauty is revamping its look! Now is the time to let me know what you think about the site - leave me a comment with your feedback!

MAC Tendertones

MAC lovers, listen up: there's a new MAC product that's going to be on shelves soon called Tendertones. Slick and sheer, this product beats other glosses because of the added SPF of 12. Perfect for the summer and all year round. Pick them up while you can, this is a limited edition product. Tendertones will be in stores on May 31st!

Just for Redheads

I wouldn't know this myself but I've been told that redheads sometimes have trouble finding the right colours of makeup - be it eyeshadow or lip gloss- to go with their skin tone and hair colour. It's not that the right colours don't exist out there, it's that out of all the colours available to everyone it's hard to find those that are best suited to those with red hair. Well, there's now a company that can help you figure out which colours to use - it's called Just for Redheads.

I haven't tried the whole line, but from what I know, their quality is excellent. The lip gloss that I used was probably one of the smoothest I've ever tried - I forgot that I was even wearing it! The colour was beautiful and wasn't overly shimmery or glittery. If you have red hair check out the company and their products!

Canadian Beauty News: May 18, 2007

Apologies for the late version of Canadian Beauty News - I have a busy summer coming up and might not be able to post something until later Friday or early Saturday from now on. But I'm not leaving so check back or to know when I've updated, enter your email address to the subscribe box in the right sidebar!

Lets start with a review of new products that are now out.

Chanel Summer 2007 Collection

This is an amazing collection because it's exactly what a summer collection should be.


The eye and lip palette is awesome. It seems to be made to make your tanned skin look better since the lipglosses have gold shimmer in them and they're still bright colours since this is what you feel like wearing after a winter of neutrals.

Set with the palette is a duo of waterproof eyeliners in teal and gold. These are beautiful and won't melt in the summer heat. If you're looking for a gold but don't want to invest in an eyeshadow, this eyeliner might be your new best friend.

Chanel also has its Glossimers of course, but there are a couple of Glossimers that are sheer, without any shimmer, and in bright colours - the sales associate tells me that they glow in black light which I suppose is wonderful if you're planning on hitting a rave this summer. Luckily, for everyone else, the Glossimer colours are so fantastic that they're worth having for the summer. Sheer yet super-bright, they go so well with a neutral face. I believe that these are sold out at many stores in the USA, but I was able to easily find them here in Canada!

Vincent Longo

Longo has introduced a pearlized version of his gel stains - basically they have shimmer in them instead of just the colour. I had a chance to try them out and they're not bad! The colour on your lips is comfortable and looks nice without being overwhelming in either colour or shimmer. I think that if you liked the gel stain without the shimmer, you'll like this version too because it's something different.

Duwop

Duwop has come out with a compact that features a face balm and a powder in it. It comes in 3 colours and all of them a sheer and wonderful neutrals. I try so many products that sometimes it takes a lot for me to be blown away, so let me say that this duo is amazing! Full marks!

The balm goes on very smoothly and you're supposed to put it on before you add any makeup to your skin. I dusted my skin with powder after using it and I found that the powder sort of stuck to the balm but this wasn't a bad thing. The balm alone left my face looking very smooth but sort of added a whitish cast to it which I wasn't a fan of, but I knew that makeup would be going on top so I didn't worry about it too much.

The powder was sheer and so silky. Together, the duo left my skin oil-free for the whole day and also seemed to absorb/repel sweat for a short while too. I am super impressed. Now, i want Duwop to introduce the balm on its own in a larger compact so that I can use it with the powder I like better. Honestly, this is the best summer product to come by in a long while so if you have ultra-oily skin, do check it out.

Great Beauty Reads

A Touch of Blusher is missing Calvin Klein Cosmetics! I remember those!

Elke von Freudenberg checks out The Makeup Show in NYC.

Life of a Ladybug wants a clean as real as ivory!

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Reminders that next week is Toronto Week of Style and Toronto Fashion Blogger's Brunch!

Canadian Beauty News: May 11, 2007

The sun is out and shining and with the great weather come great new products and events!

Toronto - Global Capital of Style?

A couple of nights ago, I went to the Press Party for Toronto Week of Style. Happening in a couple of weeks, the week will feature fashion shows and styles aimed more at the public than the buyers of stores. The week is hosted by the Style Council of Canada and the shows are grouped by theme rather than designer. Bambumoda, for example, will showcase the trends coming up in the next 4 or 5 years, while Fashion Fringe will be more about undiscovered talent from all over the world. There will also be a Denim show, a show for swimwear, for lingerie, and best of all, one for pop culture.

I have to say that the best part of the whole event is that bloggers are given the same amount of respect as the rest of the media. Great seats, personalized attention, and complete lack of snobbery were features of the press party and made me glad that I had gone. This is likely the first of many posts that I'll write covering the event, so stay tuned!

Oh, and associated with Toronto Week of Style, is a campaign that says that Toronto is the Global Capital of Style. Is it? What do you think?

New Products from Duwop!

Duwop has expanded its product line and those products are finally in stores this week.

Lets begin with the E-lix-r-stix. Basically a pen filled with a gloss that tastes sort of like a cookie. These have a runny consistency sort of like Cargo's Purse Gloss but also go on smooth and semi-sheer. They come in 4 great colours that look natural on. I tried, I liked!

Next comes Blushbooster, meant to be layered on top of regular blush to add shine or... I don't know, layer on more blush? Really, I don't know why they'd call this Blush booster when it's pretty much just a regular blush. It comes in nice colours, has a smidge of shimmer (not too much), and goes on smoothly. It's not so sheer that you have to layer on tons to get good colour payoff, but it's not ultra-bright either.

Finally, there's Duwop Realipstick which is a nice normal glossy lipstick that comes in neutral tones only.

Overall, the new products add to Duwop's reputation of having products that provide a natural look. The products they offer are good and if you want lipsticks or blushes that look natural on your skin, and if you want a line that offers everyday basics in flattering colours, then Duwop is the line for you.

Laura Gellar Now IN

I know that there are those of you out there that may have had an eye on Laura Gellar products that have until now only been sold online or on TSC. Well, Sephora now has a truncated version of the line available - they have her most popular products in! The Spackle Trio, and Lip and Eye Spackle Duo are both in stores.

I also spotted the Bronze-N-Brighten, though for the life of me, I can't figure out why this is so popular. I'm not saying that it's not a good bronzer and that it won't brighten up your skin. I am just not wowed by the whole marbled compact marketing campaign. Look, once your swirl your brush in (or run your finger through) the compact, you basically end up with a shimmery pinkish bronze that you then dust on your face. Well, wouldn't putting that pinkish bronze shade (already blended, I mean) in a compact be a better idea because it would give you more consistent colour? Why the marbling? Oh, and don't even bother telling me that I can pick out just the pink or the brown and use them as eye shadows - who would actually do that? Anyway, perhaps you will like the pinky-bronze colour that this compact yields and let me know if you do. The powder itself is smooth and easy to apply.

New Estee Lauder Collection!

Listen up - Tom Ford has designed his final collection for Estee Lauder and Holt Renfrew is now taking advance orders for it!

The collection is called Azuree Soleil and has a range of pinky-plummy colours, called Soiree, and then a range of more bronze shades, called Bronzee. As can be expected from Estee Lauder, the formulations are amazing.

If you've been looking for a highlighter that's not too shimmery, you must check out The Face Sheen which goes on so smoothly and has just the right amount of shimmer and gloss.

Tom Ford has also created a new scent to go with the collection - it's called Tom Ford Azuree Soleil. Finally, a summer fragrance that doesn't smell like suntan oil or a margarita. The Estee Lauder website says that there are notes of Sandalwood, Gardenia petals, Coconuts, and Orange Blossom, among other things, but I couldn't recognize any of those when I smell it. To me, it just smells of the ocean and it's a nice pleasing scent - not too fresh and not too warm.

Great Beauty Reads

Ageless in Los Angeles talks about new Prom beauty.

All Lacquered Up tells us about the chemicals in nail polishes.

Pretty By Nature tells us about PhytoOrganics - a hair care line from Nexxus.


Alrighty, well that's all for this week. Have a wonderful weekend!