New & Noteworthy: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Lipstick

When a sample of the new Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick ($40) crossed my beauty blogging desk, I have to confess I was fully prepared not to like it. After all, is there room for yet another luxe lipstick in an already crowded marketplace? The answer, as it turns out, is yes—especially when the packaging details are so thoughtfully executed and the formula wears so superbly. All the details after the jump, plus the scoop on how you can win an exclusive prize from Givenchy Fragrances & Beauty Canada at the bottom of this post!

1

Bridal Style: Hair Extensions Q&A With Veronica Gomes

Fine-hair genes, styling damage, trauma, hormones: there are a host of reasons why a girl's hair might not be as long and luxuriant as she wants on her wedding day. Luckily though, hair extensions are a quick and easy way to achieve the tresses of one's dreams. I've never tried extensions myself (I just grew my hair out for my own wedding day updo), but Veronica Gomes wears and works with them all the time. Gomes, a Vancouver-based hairstylist, boasts 12 years of experience and launched an eponymous line of hair extensions last fall featuring 11 shades (including 2 different shades of black, one warmer and one darker), 3 lengths, and 2 quality levels, so it's safe to say she's an extension guru and I learned a lot from this interview. Brides-to-be who are looking for more length or volume, take note!

3

Drugstore Delight: EOS Lip Balm

A green beauty routine doesn't always mean paying an arm and a leg or going out of your way to source niche products, and EOS lip balm ($4.29 at London Drugs) is proof positive of that. I remember trying one in a lemony flavour when they first came out; at the time it didn't impress me too much aside from its distinctive egg shape. Either my preferences have evolved or the formula has improved, but when the EOS PR team sent me a full assortment of lip balms to try this winter, I found I really liked them this time around. They're a true Drugstore Delight, especially if you're taking your first baby steps into the world of natural beauty and skincare.

0

Product Review: Rocky Mountain Soap Co. & Caudalie Natural Skincare

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been dealing with some health issues and am hoping that switching over to natural products in my daily routine wherever possible will help. Now, I'm not an extreme green convert who believes conventional lipstick will kill you and there are some regular cosmetics I just can't quit. That being said, I figure if I can green up the skincare and grooming products I use daily, I can still decrease my exposure to endocrine-disrupting ingredients and lessen the overall chemical load on my body's natural detoxification systems (liver, kidneys, digestion, lymph nodes, etc.). Every little bit helps, right?

3

New & Noteworthy: Dior Addict Lip Sugar Scrub

Just in time for Valentine's Day and inspired by Dior's backstage secrets, Dior Addict Lip Sugar Scrub ($41) is a veritable sweet treat for the lips. It's the product you didn't think you needed, but somehow worms its way into your life and your makeup bag as an essential—and that's saying a lot considering I'm not usually a lip scrub girl.

0

Introducing India Rose Cosmeticary

I'm always up for visiting new indie beauty boutiques around the city, so when word of one between the West Side and Arbutus Ridge reached me, of course I was game to check it out. India Rose Cosmeticary had already been open for 8 months by the time I stopped by on one brisk December day, and I was so pleased to discover that its eponymous owner India Daykin is just as charming as her retail space devoted to all things beauty and self care. If you haven't made the trek out to Mackenzie Street to visit India Rose Cosmeticary yourself, here's what you need to know!

2

Bridal Style: 6 Easy Ways To Look & Feel Your Best

Photos by Stephen K. Lee

When I was engaged, one of the most surprising things was how ubiquitous talk of pre-wedding prep could be. There's definitely social pressure to look your best on a day where you'll squeeze into a wedding gown and pose for hundreds of photos and and be the centre of attention. Personally speaking, I wasn't looking to achieve a dramatic before/after transformation, but I did use the wedding as an incentive to change habits for the better. These lifestyle tweaks are common sense even if they're not common practice, they're fairly easy to incorporate, and they'll yield noticeable results if you start from day one of your engagement. Best of all, these are the sorts of habits you'll want to keep up long after the wedding is done.

0