Sevin Nyne

There has been a lot of bad press surrounding Lindsay Lohan's new line of self-tanners, namely because she notoriously has the worst fake tan in Hollywood. Sevin Nyne Tanning Mist (named after Lohan's lucky numbers 7 & 9) promises to give you a professional looking "natural, caramel-infused kiss of color" in an easy-to-use spray can. In collaboration with celebrity airbrush tanner Lorit Simon, Lohan wanted to create a luxurious tanning mist that was once only available to Simon's celebrity clients. Infused with Goji Berry extract, known for its powerful antioxidant properties, and Chardonnay extracts to help keep the skin hydrated, Sevin Nyne Tanning Mist claims to provide an even, natural looking tan. The duo hopes to encourage men and women to stay out of the sun and "cherish their skin," and a portion of the proceeds benefits skin cancer awareness charities.

The self-tanner has actually had really great reviews, particularly from red heads who say that is very natural looking and not orange at all. I am lucky enough to have two best friends who are gorgeous redheads, so I am very familiar with their pale-skin struggles. One of the girls, god bless her, had an unfortunate run in with a bad spray tan...she came out looking like a lobster. Hopefully as a redhead herself, Lohan has finally come up with the answer. Sevin Nyne Tanning Mist costs $35 and can be found at Sephora.

Ps. Here is a hilarious new eharmony spoof that Lindsay made for your viewing pleasure.

Lindsay Lohan's eHarmony Profile from Lindsay Lohan

Bumpit

I am a sucker for infomercials...I really have a problem. Whether it is a rotating hairbrush, turbojams or the magic bullet, I see it, I want it. The only thing that comes between me and a house full of useless as-seen-on-tv products is the fact that I don't own a credit card. My mother won't let me. I have no idea why. ahem.

Well, last week I decided that enough is enough. I am an adult now, about to embark on a real job in the real world with a real blackberry, so I went to my bank and signed up for a credit card. For emergencies only, of course.

Then I saw an infomercial on tv for Bumpit, and I felt that familiar urge to pick up the phone in the next 20 minutes and recieve not one, not two, but three bumpits for only $20. But wait! free shipping and handling? ok...maybe I could just make this one purchase....I need to christen the card with a treat for myself right? I will start the emergencies rule tomorrow.

But what is a Bumpit you ask?

It is a plastic hairpiece that boosts volume at the crown of your head and basically creates a volumized teased look without the teasing. The ads for bumpit are pretty horrific, and most of the women in the before and after pics look like 80's cheerleaders from Texas, but I have always had problems with teasing my hair and I love the volumized look, so I thought I would give it a try. Plus I heard that bumpits are behind Blair Waldorf's gorgeous uplifted headband looks on Gossip Girl.

My Bumpits haven't arrived in the mail yet, but watch this space for a full review! In the mean time, here is the website so you can order your own.

R.I.P Stila

Dear Stila,

Thank you for bringing us wonderful treats for so many years, you will be sorely missed. The bad economy may have robbed you of your life, but you will live forvever in our hearts.

In 2001 a bright eyed excited 16 year old girl went to Holt Renfrew in Toronto and tried your eyeshadow in "Mystic." It was a light, shimmery sky blue in your signature silver cardboard packaging, and it was beautiful. You were my first ever $30 eyeshadow, and from that moment on I was hooked. I still to this day have never worn that eyeshadow, it is too pretty. I often get it out and stare at it, swirl my finger wistfully in the silky pot, relishing in its untouched perfection. Your smudge pots are so delightfully smudgy yet precise, you brought my smoky bedroom eyes to new heights. Oh and your lip glaze with that convenient clicky pen...I will be forever dreaming of the creamy apricot shade...the perfect nude. And don't even get me started on Kitten eyeshadow...it hurts too much....sigh.

Rest in peace. I will never forget you.

Love Lizzie xoxo

Lincoln Park After Dark

I have been a nail-biter since I was a kid, so I have never been able to wear nail polish.   Since we always want what we can't have, I spend a lot of time fantasizing about moody blacks, blues and purples, never daring to imagine that I might be able to take part in this trend.  Before christmas, my mom said she had had enough of my stubby bleeding fingers, and marched me to a nail salon for a set of bio-gels.  The poor lady who was doing my nails had a big job on her hands, she actually gasped when she saw them.  This sounds silly, but that day really changed my life.  I didn't realize how much I hid behind my hands, and how much nail biting not only made me look bad, but affected my self-confidence.  Not having my fingers in my mouth all the time has made me feel more open and confidant, and my beautiful nails make me feel like a lady!

Anyways, so this weekend I got my gels filled and decided to go for a colour gel instead of my usual french manicure, when my technician decided to inform me that I can paint regular polish colours OVER my french gels!!! I can't believe she never told me before, I would have done it months ago!  Sooooo now I am obsessed with nail polish, and I can't wait to try all the colours that I have always wanted!   The OPI website is awesome, you can actually "try on" the colours on a virtual hand, and it even lets you adjust the nail length and skin tone to match your own hands.  Lincoln Park After Dark by OPI has become a beauty cult classic, and although it was discontinued a while ago it can still be found at some salons and malls until it sells out (heaven forbid.)  I bought it from my nail salon on the weekend, along with Baby it's Coal Outside, a smoky dark grey with silver glitter, and Koala Berry, a juicy melon hot pink. Who comes up with these polish names I wonder? They are so clever.

   My life is complete. 

Birthday Girl

I got a $50 Sephora gift card for my birthday from my amazing friends, and I have no idea what to buy!!! There is too much stuff that I want and I am over excited and overwhelmed!

I am thinking about the new O-Plump lip gloss from Smashbox. Described as the "first intuitive lip plumper," O-Plump goes on clear and then reacts with your unique skin chemistry to create a natural and complimentary pink colour, all while giving you a full pout that rivals Angelina's. Normally plumping glosses and I are not friends, they sting my lips like crazy and I go bright red, so we will have to see how I do with this one.

I also want to try the new Smashbox O-Bronze intuitive cheek bronzer, which claims to deliver the perfect tan colour that compliments each individual skin tone...say bye bye to tangerine cheeks!
Decisions, decisions. I hope Sephora is ready for me, I may be there all night.

Confession

My name is Lizzie and I am a mascaraholic.

Wednesday - Grocery shopping at Fortinos...hmmm my maybelline collossal mascara is running a little dry, maybe I will take a little stroll down the cosmetics aisle...ooo lash blast is on sale!.............sold.

Thursday - New lash stiletto ad on TV...need to try it! Buy it from shoppers after work, try it on.......ewwww spider lash alert. no no no.

Friday - At shoppers buying cotton pads on my break from work. ooo Lash stylist is on sale. I think I tried that one a couple of years ago...is that the one I always got compliments on? I think it is! Its only $6.99...........sold. Get home, try it on. Ok maybe this wasn't the one. Maybe if I layer it over the lash blast?

Saturday - Ugh my eyelashes suck. Should have stuck with the Collossal, it really is my fave. Maybe I will pick up another one tomorrow when I am at the mall...........Sold.

Monday - At the Bay...drooling over Lancome mascaras. They are so expensive...but ooo! This set of Hypnose mascara, eyeliner and eye make-up remover is only $30 for all 3? Thats a steal! Hypnose is my all time fave...and it is my birthday this weekend...I should be able to treat myself right? And I have to look hot for my birthday...........sold.

ooops.

Joe Fresh Face

I love Joe fresh style, so when I heard they were coming out with a new line of make-up, I was a little over exited.
Joe Fresh Face aims to be "chic, affordable and undeniably fresh," and just like their clothes, you can get a runway look for grocery store prices... all of the products are under $10! Joe Mimran, creative director of Joe Fresh, says, “The approach we’ve used with the fashion collection translates beautifully to cosmetics. We want to dress our customers from head to toe and that includes make-up. For us, it’s always about value, style and quality.”
I headed to Loblaws today to check out the make-up first hand, and I had mixed feelings. There were no testers for any of the products except the lipstick, so even though there were lots of things I wanted to try, I was reluctant to buy anything.
The eyeshadow singles are awesome, there are so many colours and they are only $4. I bought a dark purple colour called plum which I really like. I also love the lipstains, they are a great way to give your lips some natural colour that lasts all day, and you can top with a gloss to give juicy shine. The coolest product though is the brow pencil, it has a convenient brush on one end so you can blend and groom your eyebrows to perfection.
So next time you have to pick up some milk, check out Joe Fresh face and see what you think!

The fatsionista debate

I first came across Beth Ditto last summer when I was at the London College of Fashion doing a short course in fashion journalism. She was featured in a POP spread, which is an edgy British fashion mag edited by the extraordinary Katie Grand. It is the kind of magazine where the pages are so beautiful that you want to rip out every one and frame it. I was struck by the ugly beauty of Beth Ditto in these photos, where the lead singer of Gossip wears YSL, Marc Jacobs and Mulberry clothes that had to be specially made for the quirky size 20 model.

Since her debut in POP, Ditto has become a fashion icon in Britain, hounded by the paparazzi at fashion week as people attempt to capture her coveted look.
She is allegedly best friends with Kate Moss, and designers are falling over themselves to create dresses and looks especially for her. Ditto has recently agreed to design her own line of clothing for British plus-size retail chain Evans, after turning down an offer from fashion giant Topshop because they do not cater to fuller figured women. Hailing herself as a size hero not a size zero, the"fatshionista" blames gay men for making women feel like they need to be thin. Ditto argues that the fashion industry is dominated by men who want women to look like perfect dolls that they can dress up, rather than real people. She makes a good point, but Ditto has sparked yet another debate about healthy body images. When googling Beth Ditto's name, the words "disgusting" and "ugly" were most frequently associated with her. But it is precisely this ugliness that is what appeals to designers...she is one of kind, a real life ugly betty that allows the world to see a different kind of beauty than what we are spoon-fed every day.

How long will this fascination last? Sadly I don't think that plus-size goth lesbian sheek is here to stay, Ditto is probably just another passing fad in the fickle fashion world.

A perfect lie

My graphic design teacher used to work at Wedding Bells, and today during our photoshop lesson she was explaining how at the magazine they used to stretch out photos of models to make them look slimmer and taller. My sister is a model, so I know a thing or two about airbrushing. There have been countless times when my 5ft 10" size 2 sister has come home crying from a casting because they told her that her boobs were too big, or too small, her hair was too blonde, or not blonde enough, she was "too pretty," or not pretty enough...she has even been told that her eyelashes are too long and look fake. ummm?? wtf.

This inspired me to post some pictures of celebrities without make-up on, just so us normal girls can point and laugh and feel mildly better about ourselves.

The "C" word

It is the dirty word no woman wants to hear.

Cellulite.

The good news is that 90% of women over the age of 18 have cellulite, no matter how skinny or curvy you are, so you are not alone. The bad news is that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Even celebrities have cellulite. Poor Mischa Barton was scrutinized last year by the paparazzi for having cellulite, and painfully close-up pictures of her butt and thighs were splashed all over the tabloids. Clearly there is no magic cure for cellulite, otherwise celebrities would have cottoned on years ago, but there are some steps women can take to reduce the problem.

Dry brushing is a technique that is very cheap and easy to do, but has many benefits. Cellulite is a non-scientific term defined as toxic deposits of subcutaneous fat material and fibrous tissue that are not able to be eliminated and which cause a dimpling effect on the overlying skin.
Dry brushing boosts circulation and helps to drain the lymphatic system in the body, which breaks down fatty deposits in the skin and eliminates cellulite-causing toxins. Dry brushing also helps to boost your immune system and improves your digestive system, while exfoliating the skin at the same time. Even better, dry brushing tightens skin, tones muscles, and is said to be the equivalent of 20 minutes of pilates!

How does this dry brushing thing work?

You can use any natural fibre bath or body brush, just make sure the bristles are not too rough.
I use the Round Body Brush, $12 from The Body Shop, and it is awesome because it has an easy grip handle and the round shape is designed for optimum massage benefits.

Before you get into the bath or shower, use the body brush to massage your skin in a circular motion starting from the feet and moving up towards the head. Pay extra attention to areas where there is cellulite, and always massage towards your heart, not away from it. The process should last about 10/15 mins for best results, so take your time, relax and enjoy the invigorating massage! Always shower after dry brushing to wash away toxins from the skin.

I tried dry brushing for the first time yesterday, and it felt fantastic. My skin feels much softer and smoother already! This is something that I really want to stick to, so watch this space for an update.

Rock Princess

Do you ever wish you could be someone else, just for one day? Do you have a secret desire that bubbles up inside you and makes you want to break out of your shell and do something crazy?

I think that my alter ego is Kat Von D from LA Ink. I love this girl and I am so in awe of her, probably because she is the opposite of me in every single way. I love pink, she loves black. She has a million tattoos, and I am scared of needles. She rides a motorcycle and I (rarely) drive a family van. She is on tv and I break out in hives when I even smell a camera. She is "rad," I am "cute." She is wild, I am safe. She is everything I wish I was, but everything I am glad I am not.

bye bye Princess...hello Rock Princess!!!!

Is there a way to embrace my inner Kat Von D without getting a tattoo or dying my hair black? There is now! I am taking a walk on the wildside and trading in my Vera Wang Princess for the new Vera Wang Rock Princess.

"Poetic, Original, Dramatic, and Sultry. Vera Wang Rock Princess is a dark, fruity floral with sultry rock star attitude and hip, modern style." - Vera Wang

Not only that, but Kat Von D also has her own make-up collection exclusively at Sephora, and I love love love the eyeshadow palettes, they are so wicked!

My faves are the True Romance Eyeshadow palettes in Metal Orchestra and Beethoven. They come with 8 rich, sexy, smoky colours, all for $34 so they are great value for money and very versatile. Visit Sephora.com for more details.

From Twilight to Midnight

Not only are vampires taking over hollywood, penetrating bookshelves and dominating the minds of tweens everywhere, they have now invaded the fashion world. The goth look is back with a vengeance on runways, and make-up is quickly following suit.

It all began when Lacome released their new lipgloss shade "Phia Black" on the same day as the movie release of Twilight. Coincidence? I think not. It seems that everyone is cashing in on this vampire craze.

Dior designed an eye shadow palette called "Twilight" in honour of the movie, and Kristen Stewart actually wore the sultry mixture of blues, greys and blacks at the premiere.

My favourite look so far though was seen at the spring 2009 YSL show. Their limited edition "pur black" lipgloss looks like patent leather, it is so shiny and rich.
Wear if you dare.

Miracle!

I just had to make a late night run to the grocery store to pick up some milk for my British tea-obsessed mother who claims she will have a nervous breakdown if she can't have her early morning cuppa....when I discovered a miracle.

I always say that I am going to one day invent a product that stops mascara from going all over my eyelids and ruining my eye makeup, a problem that I am sure is familiar to most of you. But it looks like Revlon beat me to it! When I was sleepily browsing the Fortinos cosmetics aisle, I came across this Make Up Eraser Pen.

The Revlon Make Up Eraser Pen claims to quickly removes smudges, smears and mistakes without disturbing the rest of your make-up. The Greaseless formula easily lifts away even long-wearing and waterproof make-up, without irritation.

Crazy. Genius. Life changing.

Why have I never noticed this product before?
So of course, I bought it, ran home, did a whole smoky eye look and 3 coats of mascara and erased all my mistakes. It really works! So awesome! Definitely worth $8.99.

...ok, now I gotta go and take all of this make-up off before bed. shoot.

Recessionista Beauty Tips

After struggling through the longest most drawn-out break up in history, I have finally cut my ex out of my life.  This doesn't mean that I am not still obsessing about it every minute of the day, listing to "Better in Time" by Leona Lewis on repeat and plotting ways to make him jealous, but it does mean that have realized that he is just not that into me, and its time to get over it.  So what is the first thing I want to do with my new found freedom?

Makeover!  duh.

But I am trying to cut down on my make-up and product addiction because as much as I want to believe it, a $32 Chanel lipstick really can't save me.  Last time I went through a break up (with the same guy actually...clearly I never learn) I spent $150 on highlights (yes, blondes have more fun but less money!...speaking of which, I read somewhere that brunettes earn 20% higher salaries than blondes on average. haha. anyways, I am getting off topic).  I also bought teeth whitening strips, all new make-up and got my nails done. $300 later I still felt crappy.   No matter how much you spend on beauty products, self-esteem has to come from the inside.  

You can have it both ways though.

In true credit crunch style, here are my top tips for the beauty savvy recessionista:

1) Arm and Hammer Baking Soda...costs less than $2

Keep some baking soda in a tupperware container in your bathroom and brush with it twice a day after brushing with toothpaste. It tastes kinda yucky, but it really removes stains and teeth look whiter in just 2 weeks!  Also works really well as a skin softener...add 2 tablespoons to your bath water.

2) Highlights in a box...$24.95

Steer clear of "frost and glow"...those brassy blonde chunks are so grade 8. (remember sun in? ewww)  Instead opt for L'oreals coleur experte multi-tonal highlighting kit.  It comes in all kinds of shades for every hair colour and it gives really natural looking highlights without breaking the bank.  A bit fiddly and time consuming but definitely worth it!

3) Embrace drugstore makeup!

Nothing can ever replace Lancome mascara in my heart, but there are some great alternatives at the drugstore for those who are pinching their pennies.  I love Maybelline Collossal mascara, Cover Girl Lash Blast and Maybelline lash stylist.  I buy my eyeliner and black nailpolish from NYC for less than $3...and I really haven't noticed a difference from the expensive brands.  and ladies, I am sorry to tell you, but lipgloss is lipgloss.  There really isn't that much difference.  Rimmel and Covergirl have some great ones.

Last minute money saving beauty tip...

Make your own body scrub! Mix ground coffee with olive oil and rub it all over your body in the shower.  It smells yummy, removes dead skin cells and the caffeine even fights cellulite. 

Make-over play list:

Stay Beautiful by Taylor Swift

On Top of the World

So I am totally "geeking out" over The City on MTV, I can't get enough of it. Despite the horribly forced scenarios, fake friendships and cheesy scripted lines, I love to hate everything about it. It has been snow storming all day, but rather than doing something productive with my day off from college, I have been watching re-runs of the city for 3 hours straight.
I am becoming dangerously close to an incident a few years ago when I watched the whole of season 1 of the O.C. in one week and I actually started to believe that the characters were my friends......but in this case the characters are actually real people, so technically I could move to NYC and be friends with Whitney and the gang right? OMGGGGG that is my new ambition in life!!!......there I go again.

Anyways, so my "friends" on the city have inspired me to try and do something about my hair. I am a make-up and skin care fanatic through and through, but I have always been terrible at cool hairstyles. Whitney always has cute little braids and twists in her hair which are so pretty, and Olivia has reinstated my hope in a centre parting. Whitney's signature twists seem to be catching on in Hollywood. I noticed that Ann Hathaway sported a similar look in the movie Bride Wars, and it looked awesome.

Sadly for me though, what it really comes down to is length. Long hair seems to be the only way to go for Manhattan's elite fashionistas, so I am just going to have to be patient and let my hair grow until it is past my boobs.....and then maybe all my dreams will come true and I will be worthy of New York?

I am going to go practice french braiding my hair, but in the mean time please, tell me, how much plastic surgery do you think Olivia has had? She can barely smile with that facelift slash nosejob!

Make-over playlist:
On Top of the World - The PussyCat Dolls (the City theme song)

SAG Awards Beauty Lowdown

I was so happy for Kate Winslet at the SAGs last night,  she is really cleaning up this awards season!  She has been looking stunning lately, so young and vibrant.  This royal blue dress really shows off her curves and looks fantastic paired with her natural make-up.  I love her strong brows.  To get this look, try lilac and cream eyeshadows and finish with a nude lip.  

I always forget how gorgeous America Ferrera is because of the darling Ugly Betty, but wow, she looked amazing at the SAG awards.  Her deep red lipstick really makes her white teeth pop, and her shimmery white eyeshadow paired with black liquid liner is so old Hollywood glamour.  I usually reserve red lipstick for blue-eyed blondes, but America has inspired me to get into reds again...but first I need to buy a box of crest white strips!

Evan Rachel Wood mixed it up last night with bright red hair and a deep teal dress.  It is a major improvement from her former goth days, she is such a gorgeous girl.  Her frosty silver and teal eyeshadow really enhances her jeweled green eyes and her coral lips look fab against her porcelain skin.  To get this look, try Body Shop eyeshadows in Sea Green across the lid and peacock green in the crease and along the lash line.  For blooming coral lips try MAC lip palette number 3 in "Devoted Poppy."

Get Your Glow Back

Christmas is over, new years resolutions are wavering and the reality of 3 more months of winter is beginning to set in. It is around this time every year that I get that antsy feeling, where spring seems like a distant dream and I wonder what there is to look forward to. Blah.

But who says we can't pretend?

Put on some summer tunes, dust off your bronzer and get your glow back!

Here are some ideas:

Step 1: Sexy Body

Slather on that self-tanning moisturizer, it is never too early to get some subtle color. I like
Dove Energy Glow because it gives a nice, natural looking color and it has a nice smell (most of those creams smell like roast chicken...yuck!)


If you are blessed with naturally bronzed skin, try the new Coconut shimmer body butter from The Body Shop. It is as fantastically nourishing as the original, but this one is infused with a subtle shimmer that looks gorgeous and glowy. It really makes darker skin tones sparkle, but it won't come off on your clothes!

Step 2: Glowing Complexion

For a healthy, fresh face, first apply a glow enhancer to rev up tired and dull skin. Tinted Glow Enhancer from The Body Shop comes in four shades to match any skin tone and gives beautiful sheer coverage that banishes imperfections and reflects light.

Step 3: Bronze

To enhance your dewy, glowing skin, next apply a bronzer. The best bronzer I have ever tried is Nars bronzing powder in Laguna...the color is so realistic, definitely worth the price!  The trick here is to use a bronzer brush for even coverage (otherwise it can look patchy) and make a large 3 shape with your brush around the right side of your face. Start at the temples and draw a 3 so that the middle part hits your cheek bone and the bottom skims your jaw line. Repeat with a backwards 3 on the other side. This contours the face and makes you look slimmer AND tanned. Bonus! Finish with a baby pink blush like MAC satin blush in "Well Dressed" on the apples of the cheeks.

Step 4: Twinkle

Use an eyeshadow brush to dab a light golden shimmery eyeshadow in the corners of the eyes and over the lid. Keep coverage light for a natural look. Stila eyeshadow in "Kitten" is perfect for this. Hold off on the dark eyeliner, but instead line the inside rim of your eyes with a pearly white shade to make eyes look bright and sparkling. Finish with 3 coats of volumizing mascara. I like Collossal by Mabelline, it contains collagen to make lashes really plump!

and voila! glow baby glow!


Make-over playlist:

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Anna Nalick - Shine