Love the lipstick: 
I want to live here: 
A little encouragement: 
Beautiful make-up: 
Love this indoor space:
Style crush: 
Hair crush: 
I want to curl up here: 
Road Trip anyone? 
Anyone else excited for season 2 of Girls? I’ve got a major girl crush on Lena Dunham right now:
I’m sure all of you have tried and true products or tools that you use on a regular basis. I thought I’d share with you 10 Things I Can’t Live Without:
1. My Clothes Steamer
A steamer makes life so much simpler. I never think twice about buying anything due to the fabric, because I know it just takes 2 min to steam it before I step out of the house!
These days you can purchase hand-held steamers and they actually work quiet well! I take my hand-held steamer while travelling and its great! Who still irons these days?
2. Sephora Pore Cleansing Pad
This little baby is a miracle worker on my skin. I use it every night before bed, and I now never have flakey skin! I wrote about the details of this product a while ago, check it out.
3. Ojon Damage Restore Instant Restorative Hair Serum
This stuff works wonders. I have platinum blonde hair, and this is one of the best things to tame my ends. I use it after every wash to smooth out the cuticle.
4. MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
I’ve been using this product probably for 8+ years. I love the texture, and the coverage. It’s light like a powder, but you can build it up to cover like foundation. I have also recently tried All In One Face Base from The Body Shop, and it is a very close second. It doesn’t have quite as good coverage as Studio Fix but since using it, my skin has cleared up a bit more…so depends which you prefer!
5. Quo Cosmetic Applicators or Q-Tips
These never ever leave my beauty routine. The Quo Applicators look similar to a Q-Tip, but one side is pointed and the other is flat, like an eye shadow brush. I use these bad boys to spot remove make-up, help repair a cat eye or create a smokey eye with shadow. These are a must have tool.
6. Mineral Oil
I’ve been using mineral oil to shave my legs for years, and it is the only thing that doesn’t dry them out. Not only does it help give you a smooth shave, but the oil also increases the longevity of your razor. Just put a few drops in your hand and smear all over your legs for a silky smooth finish!
7. Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner
I love the look of the classic cat eye, and I’ve searched and searched for the perfect liquid formula. I love the Stila liner because it stays on all day, dries quickly, and the pointed felt tip makes it easy to apply.
8. Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Blush
It’s no secret that I have very fair skin. I embrace it, but I NEED to wear blush without looking like a ghost! This blush is amazing. It’s a cream blush that is highly pigmented, so you don’t need to use much to get the impact. This stuff never seems to run out and the best part is, it lasts all day! Make sure when you are applying it goes under your powder but over your foundation.
9. Klorane Dry Shampoo
It’s cheaper than the products you find in Sephora, and you can find this brand at most drug stores. This dry shampoo doesn’t leave your scalp white and helps absorb the oil for a full day or two. It’s a great refresher if you don’t like to wash your hair every day, or if you have more of an oily scalp. I use dry shampoo because I colour my hair and it’s not heathy to wash everyday, but my scalp is still quite oily and this dry shampoo prolongs my colour and keeps my hair looking fresh. I especially recommend it if you have bangs! ‘Cause oily bangs are the worst!
10. True Blue Spa Super Softening Hand Lotion
I’ve been using this lotion for years, and I absolutely love it. It is really rich, and doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily. I use this lotion as a part of my nighttime routine, just before going to sleep I lather up and don’t massage it all the way in, this lets it absorb throughout the night. If my hands need some extra moisture, I’ll wear spa gloves and load up on the lotion while sleeping. When you take the gloves off in the morning my hands are silky smooth! You can find this lotion at Bath and Body Works.
What are a few of your favorite products? Are you loyal to certain brands or do you like to try new things?
Brad Pitt’s highly anticipated commercial for Chanel No. 5 was released today, and it’s, well, artsy? Take a look:
The thought of Brad Pitt selling ladies perfume was always a little strange to me, and now getting to finally see this commercial, I don’t feel it’s any less weird about it. First of all, it feels very pretentious and beneath him. Yes, Chanel is an amazing high-end designer brand, but for Brad to do such a low-budget commercial where he is just rambling and gazing off into space make’s me feel like, isn’t he better than this?
Anyway, that’s just my thoughts, how do you feel about Brad in this commercial? To my male readers, does it reach out to you? Does it make you want to buy some perfume for your girl? Is that what they were trying to accomplish in the first place?
Here are some more boring-ly styled photos from Brad’s Chanel campaign:
1. Always Wear Sunscreen
I don’t care if you’re going outside for 10 minutes or 10 hours, sunscreen is incredibly important. It can save your skin from wrinkling, it can save your skin from dark spots and it can save your skin from cancer! Now a days, you can get sunscreen in your facial moisturizer and foundation, so ladies you have no excuse not to take care of your skin!
If you are out in the sun and dying for a tan, sunscreen will protect you from harmful rays, but you will still get colour! Don’t forget that self tanner can be your best friend too!
(my favorite self tanner)
2. Only Wear Flip-Flops to the Beach
Flip flops are comfortable and have many uses; at the beach. When you live in a city, or if you’re walking in public no one wants to hear the flop flop flop while you walk. Not only do they sound annoying, but they look super casual. With many sandal options out there, keep your flip-flops at the beach! (Men too!)
3. Think Twice About the Length of Your Shorts
Ladies, just because you have killer legs, doesn’t mean the whole world needs to see them. I suggest always do the bend-over test in the fitting room, if you can see your bum when you bend, DO NOT BUY. You also don’t want your shorts stopping at the widest part in your thigh, so think twice when buying super short shorts. Universally the most flattering length is a 1-3 inches above the knee.
Men, when buying shorts, think about your height. The look of shorts appear cut your leg in half, so if you are under 5’9″ think about wearing a short that is quite a few inches above the knee. A slimmer Euro style is more flattering on a shorter, stocky build. If you are tall, you can wear the longer lengths. I usually see men wearing shorts that are too long, or too wide. Please don’t make this same mistake! Buy shorts that fit similar to your jeans, and think about where you are wearing them. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can wear your shorts to all destinations!
4. Men, No Socks and Sandals, or Loafers
This ties in with our previous rule…Men, NEVER EVER wear socks with sandals and NEVER EVER wear socks with loafers. If you decide to cuff your pants, it’s best to expose a bare ankle.
Are you concerned about smell? Think about the quality of shoe you purchase when going barefoot. Either get a fabric that can be washed or a something natural, like leather. You can put a deodorizer in your shoes nightly to keep them smelling fresh or you can purchase some insoles that help absorb sweat and are washable.
5. Beat the Heat With Icepacks
I live in Vancouver, and often it doesn’t get super super hot here, so most places do not have air conditioning. However we do get some crazy heat for a few weeks in summer. Have you tried sleeping in the heat of the summer? It can be impossible. The best thing I’ve learned is to always keep ice packs in the freezer. I wrap them in dish towel and rest them on either my forehead, back of my neck or on my feet. It soothes the overheating and can let you rest at night!
6. Avoid Too Much Alcohol in the Sun
Alcohol is dehydrating, so if you are planning on drinking in the sun, (and who doesn’t?) then alternate with a cup of water. You can get the effects of alcohol much faster if you are in the sun, or you could suffer from dehydration within a few hours, and no one should have to experience that!
7. Always Stay Hydrated and Snack
As noted above, if you do not stay hydrated while outdoors you can become exhausted and dehydrated. Dehydration and exhaustion can bring on major flu symptoms, and you don’t want to ruin summer fun being locked in the bathroom!
I know for myself, I often forget to eat when I am at the beach or lounging outdoors, but even if you don’t feel like eating too much, it’s always good to have small snacks throughout the day. It will help keep your energy levels up so you can avoid the heat exhaustion.
What are your summer rules or tips to live by?
I had an amazing time last night! Thanks to Vitamin Daily Vancouver, I won VIP passes to the Stila Girl Canada Spring Summer Collection launch! They also were launching a limited edition Vibrant in Vancouver Travel Palette. The palette includes Vancouver inspired names and shades, and is available at Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques this month and are $21. Here is your peak at the party:
I tested the BB Cream and their All Over Luminizer. The BB Cream made my skin tone nice and even, and the luminizer gave me a light natural glow.
Krista tried their Self Adjusting Brozer, and it worked great on her. So subtle and beautiful!
Also joining the party was Ardell Lashes. Krista and I both tried the glamourous line of real hair lashes.
What do you think? Do we look glam?
This is us at the end of the night. We met some great people, enjoyed great food and drank some yummy cocktails! We got to leave with a wicked goodie bag too! I’m looking forward to trying out all my new Stila make-up and Ardell lashes!
Summer is fast approaching which often means most of us will get dry skin. In order to wear all those little summer dresses, tank top and shorts without showing of flaky white elbows, hands and knees- you need to lock in moisture. Here are a few tips on how:
-Before heading into the shower, rub some petroleum jelly on your dry spots. Believe it or not, water actually can make your skin dryer. Jelly gives your skin a protective shield.
-At night, lather up with your favorite lotion or oil (make sure it isn’t rubbed in all the way) and wear spa gloves- this will help your hands retain moisture all night long and leave you with fresh soft hands in the morning! **You can also do this trick for your feet by wearing socks.**
-Prior to shaving, lather mineral oil on your legs, this is the best way to avoid razor burn and keep the shave smooth while capturing moisture.
-If you don’t love the feel of petroleum jelly, try using coconut oil or mineral oil. Smooth over dry skin after getting out of the shower. Give it a few minutes to absorb before getting dressed, you don’t want the oils on your clothing.
-Get a night time routine. Have your favorite lotion or oil next to your bed and make it a habit of lathering up!
For my die-hard lotion ladies, here are a few of my personal favorites:
True Blue Spa at Bath and Body Works works wonders. It’s made with paraffin, vitamin E and argon oils. *Black is the New Black favorite*
Naked Body Butter by bliss. It contains coconut oil, soybean oil and vitamin E and A.
Hand Cream by L’Occitane. It’s loaded with shea butter.
Soothing Relief Moisture Cream by Aveeno. It contains natural colloidal oatmeal which is known for is soothing properties.
The other day I went into a store/restaurant here in Vancouver called Organic Lives and they talked me into getting coconut oil. The sales person helping me said she not only used it as a substitute for butter but also used it directly on here skin as a moisturizer. I quickly asked “You use oil on your face? Doesn’t that just make it shiny and more oily?” She said her skin has never felt better…hmmmm…It got me curious that for sure. So curious I figured I’d try it for myself. Lately my skin has been a bit bi-polar one week its dry, the next week it breaks out, so what did I have to lose trying coconut oil?
I purchased a large container from Organic Lives. This one goes for $20. (Make sure is PURE organic virgin coconut oil and not an imitation!)
I then took a tablespoon and put it into a new container for “face lotion” so that I could save some for cooking. I chose to add a little peppermint essential oil, because I prefer the smell of mint and I like how refreshing it makes your skin feel. Feel free to add in any of your favorite essential oils. Once the oils were mixed I put dime size dabs on my skin, maybe even less. You do NOT need a lot of this product, which means it will last you for a while! Start off with a small amount and work up from there.
When I came back from my Mexico vacation my skin was doing all sorts of peeling, not such a hot look, and coconut oil was the only thing that stopped it! Like I said earlier, my skin varies from dry to oily, and coconut oil not only worked well on my skin for moisture, I also didn’t have any extra break outs! I would highly recommend it.
You can use coconut oil on cracked heels, as a body and facial moisturizer and as a cuticle oil. I would not recommend using it in your hair, it is a bit too heavy for that. Have you ever tried using coconut oil before? What did you use it for?
It has come to my attention recently that all the rage is “BB” Cream. I wondered, what does the “BB” stand for? Some crazy cosmetic term? Some scientific discovery? Or maybe it has to do with a new vitamin that was discovered to help uncover new radiant skin? Nope BB stands for either Blemish Balm or Be Beautiful. Yes. Really! That interesting discovery made me dig a bit further, because it seemed like some crazy marketing ploy to get us all to buy some magic cream. I can just hear the PR offices saying, “Lets call it BB Cream- it sounds more scientific and important when you have initials!”
I decided to speak with a make -up artist about the hype behind BB Cream. She shared that it is to create radiance for aging skin, which is not really what someone under the age of 40 needs. So all you girls that read my blog- its unnecessary! If you want a product that is similar, I’d suggest a tinted moisturizer. It gives you a little color to even your skin tone, and goes on smooth.
I also uncovered that BB Cream is a mix of primer, moisturizer, liquid foundation and sunscreen. Hmmm…how many of you out there already own all of those items? Why not save yourself the $35-$60 that BB Cream can cost and create your own! I haven’t tried to make my own just yet- but here is the ratio I am planning on doing:
10% Sunscreen (make sure its for the face and that is has an SPF of 30 or higher. Neutrogena has a great product.)
10% Liquid Foundation
30% Moisturizer
50% Primer
The best part about creating your own, is you already know which products work for your skin, and you’re not introducing something new for your skin to react to. No need to worry about break outs or any allergic reactions!
Ultimately, you could make your life easier and buy one product that will “do the trick” of 4 items, you could invest in a good tinted moisturizer or you can create your own. My personal vote is one of the last two. What is your opinion? Have you tried BB cream? Is it something you’d never go without?
*Click the top image for another great opinion on BB Cream.
Has the “Spring Forward” time change taken a toll on your Monday?? Here is a tip to help brighten tired eyes: BLUE is your magic color. Blue has been known to brighten the whites of your eyes, and there are three ways that anyone can add a little blue to your daily routine.
1. Lightly line the tear duct line. (This is above your lower lashes and under your upper lashes) You might need to pull your eyelid up or down and line away. This requires a quality pencil, because that area is a little damp and if your pencil isn’t pigmented enough, it’s not going to work. My personal favorite brand is:
The best shade is either Majorelle Blue or Incandescent Navy.
If you don’t want everyone to just see blue- I often still like my eyes with black and put blue closest to the eye (the tear duct line) that way it just gives a hint of blue and still brightens the eyes.
2. Add blue mascara over top your black mascara. This gives the hint of blue- while still accentuating your lashes with black.
3. Go bold! If you love blue and are confident you can pull it off (looks best with brown or gray eyes) grab a liquid or gel liner and do a cat eye!
Summer is here and I know everyone is wondering what the best lotions and potions are to keep your legs looking and feeling sexy, soft and smooth right? I have the secret! BABY OIL! The trick, right before you’re about to shave your legs, slather on some oil. It helps lock in the moisture, and gives you a smooth shave. You can find baby oil at any drug store for around $3. Try it! It works!
Have any other great beauty tips you want to share? Feel free to leave a comment- Black is the New Black would love to hear them!
Here are some ads that have inspired me for Spring/Summer 2010.
Top trends that I am loving this summer:
-Nudes and neutral colors
-Mixing denim
-Light bottoms, whether jeans or skirts
-Chambray, linen and ticking fabrics
-Grey and brown bags and shoes
-Ripped jeans
-Lace baby-doll tops
-Lots of floral print
-Tucked in shirts
-Statement shoes
-Rolled jeans
-Cross-body purses
-Ankle cropped pants
