Soirée Snapshots: BeautyMark, Loft 82

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! From holiday media previews to pop-up shops, here's a look at what I was up to last week.

It's a bright Christmas indeed at BeautyMark, where the #neonnoel theme meant lots of DIY fluorescent decorations and holiday cheer. Their makeup selection (hello, new Butter London, Essie, and Deborah Lippmann nail polishes and ILIA lip colours) and skincare (Tata Harper and Consonant Body, to name two of my favourite organic brands) was as phenomenal as ever--great gift ideas for the beauty lover on your list. New and noteworthy this year: the Beauty Society rewards club (sign up, and for every $100 you spend, you get $5 in reward dollars to spend in-store), and the Varnish Nail Lounge upstairs (experienced nail technician Linh Khuu helms it).

Aren't these knit hot water bottles adorable?

I spotted some new products in the mix of old favourites. MaskerAide sheet masks (not shown) are based on the sheet masks so popular in Asia, but better for you and the environment: The serum contains no parabens, sulfates, artificial fragrance, or mineral oil, and the packet is recyclable while the mask is biodegradable. At $6 a pop and available in a variety of formulas for different skin concerns, they make affordable and fun stocking stuffers. Pink Door Design Lab--a line of luxury bath products created in Vancouver--just launched this year, but is already creating buzz with its thoughtful packaging and lovely scents. Their multi-tasking massage candles are a terrific gift for the perpetually stressed, providing ambiance and soothing aromatherapy while melting into massage oil.

Loft 82 may be new to Vancouver, but its sister store OAK + FORT has been a Gastown fixture for some time now. The Alberta-based import launched its pop-up shop at 840 Granville St. last Wednesday. Unlike OAK + FORT's minimalist, highly unified aesthetic, Loft 82 embraces an eclectic mix of textures, fabrications, patterns, and colours inspired by seasonal trends, vintage design, and antiques. Definitely worth checking out.