by Jennifer on April 24, 2013
Ever been on vacation or a work trip and looked at your mani only to realized what you painted just days before now has an unsightly chip? I’ve been there many, many times. It’s extra annoying when you happen to be wearing your favourite cheery coral polish (so any chip will inevitably be noticeable). There’s not always time to go get a gel or shellac manicure before jetting off (and it can be a pricey expense) – so dealing with a regular manicure mishap is usually par for the course when it comes to travelling.
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by Stephanie on April 12, 2013
It never fails — your skin is clear and happy — you jump on a plane, land and somehow things don’t look as glowing as you remember pre-flight. No matter how relaxing your destination may be, travelling can do some wicked things to your skin. In addition to drying it out, a new routine can throw things out of whack too.
To get the scoop on how to deal with some of the unpleasant effects travel has on your skin, we consulted with the best in the biz, Dr. Lisa Kellett, Dermatologist at DLK on Avenue in Toronto. READ MORE
by Jennifer on April 5, 2013
There’s no escaping it. Dry, tired and puffy eyes are inevitable on a long-haul or red-eye flight. It doesn’t seem to matter how much shuteye you get on the airplane, or even the quality of it, one of the first places to show fatigue is the sensitive and tender skin around your eye. I’ve tried everything from thick eye creams too soothing serums to plain Argan oil and towelettes to help banish dark circle and puffiness, but I think I found the best option out there. The Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask is my new tired eye saviour. It cools with the oxygen infused pads, de-puffs thanks to loads of cucumber extract and the high dose of vitamin C instantly brightens those dark circles. Not to mention it’s incredibly easy to travel with (slip a couple into your carry-on or purse and whiz through security) and no-fuss (just push the liquid pod and it soaks into the pads on the other side).
Putting on an eye mask mid-flight might look a little odd, so wait until the lights dim, put them on and slip your own sleeping eye mask over for 15 minutes — your eyes will thank you once you land. Make sure you have a couple extra for your trip in case you have a late night or early mornings.
Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask, $54 for a pack of 4, blissworld.com.
by Jennifer on March 20, 2013
I swear it will be summer out there soon (or at the very least spring). But until the summer sun makes its way to Toronto, I’ll be heading to Aruba and Jamaica to get my vitamin D fix. And one thing I love to do more than pack hot destination clothes, is pick out the perfect nail polish to go with my beach vacation. Of course it has to be cheery and bright, but it also has to have staying power (to go through sandy, ocean and pool water) and be in my current shade obsession — pinky-orange coral.
I raided my beauty closet (a.k.a my linens closet that has become crammed with rows and rows of nail polish) to make my coral, beach-ready nail polish selection. Here are some of my all-times faves and a few newbies in the mix that I can’t wait to test out.
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by Stephanie on March 19, 2013
There’s a lot to prepare for — beauty-wise — when you’re off to a tropical destination or even your honeymoon. Between the waxing and pedicure appointments, you want to make sure you’ve packed tons of sunscreen and have CTSA-approved minis in your carry-on.
While we’re sure you’ve increased your gym sessions and ditched processed foods in preparation for the beach, one little extra you can consider adding to your beauty regime pre-getaway is a firming cream. Not to be mistaken for something that will melt away fat (when you find something that does that, please let us know), a firming cream is excellent for smoothing out dimples and tightening the skin. If you’re feeling a bit self-conscious about your thighs or stomach, this is an easy way to firm up. READ MORE
by Stephanie on February 12, 2013
There’s nothing worse than looking like you just rolled out of bed after a red-eye flight (the mirror says otherwise), and while a messy ‘do is OK if you’re heading straight home (or the bar), if you’re booking it to an important meeting or are just trying to look refreshed, you may want to opt for something a little more polished.
We chatted to Nina Farrauto, Garnier’s Styling and Colour Expert to find out some easy ways to style your hair post-flight and also tips on what you can do before you board to make sure your locks hold for the duration of the flight.
A low ponytail as seen on the Spring 2013 runways, like at Jil Sander, is an easy post-flight hair option.
Can you suggest one or two hairstyles you can do quickly (in say airport washroom) if you’re heading straight to a work meeting post-flight?
If you’re going straight to work or a meeting from a flight, and need a quick and simple hair fix, a classic bun or ponytail is easy to do and it’s versatile. A high ponytail can be polished or casual, as can a high or low bun. You’ll only need a few bobby pins, an elastic and a comb. For a polished look, apply a quarter sized amount of Fructis Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek as you put your hair up. It will smooth any flyaways and its about 100ml to bring in your carry on. READ MORE
by Stephanie on January 10, 2013
Whenever we travel our skin manages to get a little less luminous (Ok, more like pasty and dry). This is all thanks to the dehydrating effects of air travel. Add a glass or two of wine and you might as well have spent a day in the Sahara without drinking any water. Besides loving our hydrating oils, one of our latest beauty obsessions are hydrating face masks. And unlike your typical slather-on masks, these are convenient face sheet masks, which come individually wrapped with the product already applied onto it, making them extremely travel friendly. Here are 6 of the best out there.
1. Karuna Hydrating Mask, $31 for 4, ebeauty.ca
With celebrity fans including Rachel Zoe and Stacy Keibler, this masks contains a mixture of natural antioxidants designed to nourish and help create a gorgeous glow. There is also no alcohol in the mask, so you can be sure you’re just getting the hydrating ingredients infused into your skin. We also love how the sheet is all-natural, which allows your skin to absorb 50% more product.
2. MaskerAide Beauty Rest’ore, $5 each, maskeraide.com
We were instantly drawn to the adorable illustrations on MaskerAide’s packaging (I mean, how cute?!), but were just as impressed with what we discovered inside. This particular mask contains hydrating ingredients including argan oil and Vitamin E, to help give back what the environment took out. A great pre-bed mask, there is a touch of lavender oil infused too to help put you in a relaxing state. READ MORE
by Jennifer on December 20, 2012
Image courtesy of Bulgari Hotels
You know that moment when you’re ready to hop into the hotel shower and you reach for the hotel shampoo? Isn’t it a sigh of relief when you see that it’s one of your favourite brands? Knowing that hotel toiletries are going to treat your hair and body as nicely (or almost as nicely) as your beauty products at home is always a treat. Especially these days when we try our best to always travel with just carry on (we need to be ruthless with our beauty product selection), we’re looking for toiletries that nourish and soothe, rather than leaving us pulling out our hair (true story, it has happened!).
Here are a few toiletry brands we’re definitely sneaking into our luggage when we check out.
Salvatore Ferragamo
We’ll be honest … pretty much anything an Italian designer conjures up we’re likely to love. And this slick designer’s toiletries are just as smooth as his covetable clothes. The Tuscan Soul collection has swirls of floral and citrus scents (the body lotion’s scent lasts all day so you can even skip the perfume) and the shampoo and conditioner leave hair super soft.
Where we’ve used them: The Waldorf Astoria in Rome, Italy.
L’Occitane
Hands down our favourite hand cream and body lotion, we adore this French brand. A travel-sized version of the shea butter hand cream is not one of those beauty items we skimp on when travelling. The toiletries found in the Four Seasons chain are vibrant, refreshing and citrusy – not to mention ultra soothing.
Where we’ve used them: Casa Angelina in Praiano, Italy.
Bulgari
There’s something about Italian designers and hotel toiletries … the mini products at the Ritz-Carlton and Bulgari Hotels don’t compromise on quality, so you feel like you’re getting a lush Bulgari experience. Not to be missed is the creamy body lotion that is super soothing and has that great signature Bulgari scent.
Where we’ve used them: The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
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by Stephanie on December 11, 2012
With the first official days of winter creeping into our horizon, dry, flaky skin isn’t far behind. When you throw in the dehydrating effects of travel into the mix, you may feel as if your skin is as dry as the Sahara. Our latest go-to? Oils. This beauty remedy has been gaining popularity over the past couple years, though it’s a cure that’s been around longer than Chanel has been in business.
Like traditional moisturizers and serums, oils work the same way, helping to balance out the natural hydration levels in your skin. You may be thinking, “Why would I put a greasy oil on my face? Won’t I just break out?” The amazing thing is, no. Putting oil onto your face or body actually signals your body to stop over-producing its own oil. The funny thing is many people with oily skin actually have very dehydrated skin and their bodies are trying to over-compensate by producing more oil, so adding oil to your face can actually calm oil production down and leave you with balanced skin.
So if your skin is screaming for some moisture, we suggest trying an oil. We use it in our regimes and haven’t looked back since. Here are 7 of our favourite. READ MORE
by Stephanie on November 13, 2012
One travel beauty essential that we tote no matter where the destination or season is a moisturizing lip balm. Though it’s really an everyday must, it’s even more important when you’re in the air, since everything gets dried out — lips included.
With fall upon us, if you don’t already have a go-to lip balm or need something more substantial for the upcoming ski season, we have found 7 we think you’ll love as much as we do. READ MORE
