How To DIY: Brigitte Bardot Blowout {VIDEO}

via Sine Qua Non salon

The East Coast Laurens Always have the Best Style: Lauren Remington Platt

Everyone with a “Lauren” in their name always seems to have the best style: Lauren Bush, Dylan Lauren, Lauren Remington Platt. With a name like that you’re sure to end up tall, beautiful, successful and with impeccable style.

Lauren Remington Platt is no exception to this rule – she is poised, elegant and intelligent. Graduating from Columbia University, she started off her career as a hedge fund analyst before starting Vênsette.com, a members-only Web site that allows its users to select from pre-styled hair and makeup options. Genius.

My New Streetstyle Icon: Taylor Tomasi Hill

Soooo High School

Like mean girls, locker room gossip and packed lunches, once we were past puberty we thought we had left all that and breakouts behind. Not so…. Reading up on Elle.com I came upon an article about adult acne that made me realise that I wasn’t alone.

Here are my tried and true products – suggestions are welcome!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion – perfect for those ones that are starting to emerge

The Drying Lotion is a fast acting, effective acne spot treatment. Formulated with salicylic acid, calamine and other quick-drying ingredients, this product will shrink ugly whiteheads virtually overnight while you sleep. While other acne spot treatments can irritate and dry delicate or sensitive skin, this product is safe and effective for all skin types.

HOW TO USE: Before bed, after cleansing, toning and moisturizing apply a dab of lotion directly on the whitehead using a cotton swab. Do not rub in. Let it dry and rinse off in the morning. DO NOT shake the bottle and apply only the pink sediment on the skin.

BEAUTY TIP: Great for back acne and breakouts on the chest. The Drying Lotion will also take the itch out of mosquito bites fast!

INGREDIENTS: Isopropyl Alcohol,Deionized Water (Aqua), Calamine, Camphor, Colloidal Sulfur, Salicylic Acid,Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Talc

At Mariobadescu.com, nordstrom.com, beautymark.ca

Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap

AHA Botanical Body Soap is enriched with fresh Fruit Extracts to exfoliate and cleanse the skin. Papaya and Grapefruit Extracts help breakdown dead skin cells to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. Ginseng Extract rejuvenates while Oat Protein soothes sensitive and irritated areas. Excellent choice for those with problem skin on the back, chest and shoulders. Leaves no soapy residue and smells heavenly.

HOW TO USE: Use daily as an all over body wash avoiding face and eyes. Apply to wet skin with a soft cloth, loofah or sponge. Rinse thoroughly.

BEAUTY TIP: Deep clean and exfoliate areas of body acne by washing with this soap daily and following up with our Special Cleansing Lotion O body astringent. For dry bumpy skin on arms and shoulders, follow shower or bath with Papaya Body Lotion for extra exfoliating and skin smoothing benefits.

INGREDIENTS: Sodium Laureth Sulfate,Deionized Water,Ginseng Extract,Grapefruit Peel Extract, Papaya Extract,Glycerin,Sodium Chloride,Oat Protein

At Mariobadescu.com, nordstrom.com, beautymark.ca

Phytomer OLIGOPUR BLEMISH TARGET GEL – according to my aesthetician, it also prevents ingrowns

This gel dries and corrects, targeting blemishes with precision. It rapidly improves the skin’s appearance, reducing the risk of scarring. Non-comodegenic.

Main ingredients: Normaline: purifying and anti-bacterial. Salicylic Acid: anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and mildly keratolytic.

At essentialdayspa.com

Darphin ORGANIC NIAOULI AROMATIC CARE – for healing

ESSENTIAL OIL CARE FOR OVERACTIVE SKIN
This organic, aromatic, soothing, essence of well-being detoxifies, clarifies, as it calms, refreshes and re-balances skin. Apply Darphin Niaouli Aromatic Care in the evening and follow with your appropriate Darphin Cream.

Key Ingredients:
Organic Niaouli Essential Oil, Organic Lavender, Cypress, Lemon and Bitter Orange Essential Oils

At mural.ca, shifeon.com

The Search for the Perfect Lip is Over… If You Can Find It

I’m pretty sure that when we flipped though the new J Crew catalogue this last summer, it wasn’t the cool but preppy styling and the wearable rainbow of colours that caught our eye. It was the bright lippie that all the models were wearing.

There was such an overwhelming response that it was finally launched. Of course it was concocted by the “Lipstick Queen” herself, Poppy King.

“A veteran of the beauty industry, King has become a resource for all things pout-enhancing since launching her mouth-centric product range, Lipstick Queen, in 2006. But experience aside, this particular shade of papaya stumped her. “It was one of the most labor-intensive shades I’ve ever done,” she admits. “Initially I did it as a red base and put orange in it. But it just wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it. So I flipped it, doing an orange and putting a little red into it.” The result is a highly wearable version of the catalog mainstay that’s slightly sheer—”I wanted the natural lip color to show through underneath so it’s not garish,” King says—with a touch of shimmer to provide dimension. “It’s like a really chic tinted lip balm and it suits every single person, like a mood ring!” She’s not kidding. The color is so universally flattering, it sold out almost instantly when it was quietly released on J.Crew’s Web site. But a new shipment is a-coming—as are other collaborative efforts from King. September will see the debut of her four-color lipstick range for Kate Spade, and “The Magic of Lipsticks” collection inspired by Bakelite jewelry that she created for Boots No. 7 hits Target stores in November.” – style.com

Yes, it’s sold out and backordered till January 2012.

Models Know Best

I always love to know what a person is wearing. If someone walks by and smells great, I’ll ask what she’s wearing. If someone is rocking a beautiful lippie, I’ll inquire. I’m not one for pushing products on, I like to see results. Sales associates and magazine articles are not necessarily the experts on products – they are usually endorsing a line or a particular product. I never buy skincare from someone who has bad skin, or makeup from one who looks like they think everyday is Halloween.

When it comes to skincare, it’s not the facialists or SAs that I look up, but the models. With all the makeup that they have to put on for shows and shoots, and all the travelling that is required, they really need to take care of their skin. That’s why I love reading interviews with models and find out what they are using or wearing. They are the elite consumer of beauty products – they seek knowledge from the experts, swap trade secrets and are exposed to global or niche brands. My fave sites to look them up are style.com, elle.com and intothegloss.com.

I found my go to makeup remover through an interview with Coco Rochas – Bioderma – Sensibio H2O – which she claimed that “all the models were using it” because it’s so gentle, no-rinse (I still do) and great for sensitive skin. It’s a cult beauty fave and an absolute “must have” amongst makeup artists, models Francophiles, and international beauty junkies. It’s so good that it will be a staple in my beauty arsenal forever. Now all I need is a go-to eye makeup remover. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

I was reading up on Mariacarla Boscono who caught my eye as the face of Nars’ Fall 2011 campaign – and she was interviewed on elle.com revealing her “must-haves” -  I can never resist a good “must-have” list.

• Givenchy Peel Me Perfectly – for “when your face is falling apart”
• Avène  Hydrance Optimale Rich Hydrating Cream – “replenishes dry skin but doesn’t give you pimples.”
• Filorga MESO-C Multivitamin Radiance Treatment
• Kett – “a three-dimensional white powder; it just gives you a…here, feel. [Runs interviewer’s finger across her velvety cheek] It’s really soft, and it doesn’t give you a matte finish. Everybody’s using it! It will change your world”

With that said, I’m off to hunt for this Kett Sett Powder that will change my world.

Fall From the Neck Up

I love Fall – that means a mean smoky eye, darker or a more vibrant hair colour and bold lips. With all the black/grey/ neutral wardrobe that we tend to reach for when it gets colder, everything needs to stand out from the neck up.

I’ve been obsessed with lips lately – I’ve taken all the reds, fuchsias, purples out of the bottom of the make up bag to play with, and hanging out more at the makeup counters to make up for what I’m missing. Will start to post some recommendations for the season, as well as what’s a staple in my bag.

But to start, here’s a girl with a great set of lips (Lindsey Wixson) and a red that every girl should have in their arsenal… Nars Jungle Red.

style.com

 

Hairdos

Courtesy of weheartit

Style Inspiration

I’m always looking for inspiration… Because I’m such a boring dresser, I look to inspiration in magazines, fashion bloggers but not so much to people on the streets (mostly in Vancouver the uniform is leggings, Canucks jerseys and Aritzia – which I can’t knock because it’s my wardrobe staple). I look to certain bloggers who elevate style and beauty to that next level, makes it wearable off the runway and makes you think “hey, maybe I can pull that off too!”

Certain Vancouver fashionistas come to mind: my good friend Nicole of lemodedujour who can rock a leather motorcycle jacket and a tutu like Carrie Bradshaw and Lily of bleedforfashion who reminds me that red lippies are not just for evenings but for whenever the $*£#% you want, just because you can.

I stumbled upon Peony Lim in the Stylelist coverage of NYFW, sitting on the steps taking a break, in a beautiful floral Anna Sui sundress, red pumps, a Fendi snakeskin bag (how bold!) and red lippie, and I’ve been entranced ever since.

I love her chic yet timeless style (she does hail from London), pretty yet bold pairings and that hair ohlala! She’s young, beautiful, has a great sense of personal style – we’ll be hearing a lot more of her soon!

And yes, I did venture out of my comfort zone this weekend and rocked Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Pop Life all weekend!

Curling It Right

I almost always have curly/wavy hair, but I’ve always done it hapazardly or sectioned it horizontally, sometimes ending up with unsatisfactory results. Now I’m going to do as the stars (or their stylists) do, and try the Diamond Method. At least the results will be somewhat predictable.

My stylist used the KQC Swirl on me, and my curls came out ultra shiny in seconds. Not only that, but sometimes day old (or 2…3 days old) hair doesn’t curl well, but this little super curler will solve that prob. Bought the 1.25″ from Fabove.ca as it was the cheapest online, and offers free pick up at their South Vancouver location. Can’t beat that. If you’re interested in the paddle brush he’s using, it’s the “Dannyco Large Paddle Brush with Ball-Tipped Bristles“…. I stumbled upon it as well as the boar bristle version at Pompadours on 4th for only$8.95. That’s cheaper than Goody.