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 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
by Stephanie on October 28, 2012
Hormones, stress and pore-clogging cosmetics are just a few of the culprits that can lead to super annoying blemishes. Unfortunately travel can exacerbate break-outs thanks to irregular sleeping (hello, red-eye flight), dehydrating plane air, an increase in alcohol or caffeine consumption, and rich foods (how were you supposed to say no to wine and cheese in Paris!).
There are simple things to keep break-outs at bay, like making sure you’re not touching your face (it can inflame skin and increase oil production), cleaning your cellphone regularly, and washing your face before bed (we both swear by our Clarisonic‘s). Even so, pimples can pop up when you least expect it. One of our favourite on-the-go ways to treat stubborn spots is with a purse-friendly spot treatment. We’ve found 8 — many of which are natural — which will help accelerate your way to clear skin. READ MORE
by Stephanie on September 4, 2012
While fall doesn’t officially start for a few more weeks, the Labour Day weekend tends to mark the end of summer for most of us — even if the temperature outside doesn’t match. We suspect many of you practised safe sun care (hello, sunscreen!) during your summer travels, the reality is even the most diligent of us come away with sun damage we’d like to pretend never happened. Whether it’s dried out locks, a dull complexion or even sun spots, we’ve found 8 after sun savers that will fix any of your sun sins. READ MORE
by Stephanie on August 22, 2012
We stumbled upon Blackbird Vintage Finds during a sunny afternoon wandering through The Distillery District in Toronto. We were lured in by the vintage pieces sitting outside the front door and had to take a look. Upon entering we discovered a treasure trove of flea market finds mixed with goodies like heavenly scented candles, luxe beauty products, quirky cards and vintage-esque calendars. READ MORE
by Stephanie on June 4, 2012
One beauty product you should never travel without is sunscreen. We don’t leave the house, let alone the country, without packing (and wearing) some serious SPF. Recently we had a chance to chat with a couple dermatologists, as well as an expert from MySkinCheck.ca, a great resource for all of your sun protection FAQ’s, to find out how to properly protect yourself against the sun’s harmful rays. With the regulations on sunscreen currently in the process of making changes, it’s easy to get confused with all of the mixed messages on the market. To keep you covered all summer long, we sourced 7 amazing sunscreens we think you’ll love too. READ MORE
by Stephanie on April 20, 2012
Every year Pantone comes out with its Colour of the Year and for 2012 it’s a vibrant shade of orange they’ve dubbed “Tangerine Tango.” This energetic hue has been spotted everywhere from the Spring/Summer 2012 runways, including Nanette Lepore and Eli Tahari, to home accessories and appliances, as well as cosmetics — like the limited-edition collection of products developed by Sephora and Pantone. We think it’s the perfect colour to add to your travel wardrobe, whether you’re en route to the beaches of Turks and Caicos, or the city streets of Manhattan. READ MORE
