Friday 13 April 2012

The Opening of the new The Body Shop Pulse Boutique!

Hey everyone!
So as you may have noticed, if you tend to peruse around the Rideau Centre alot, The Body Shop recently closed down for a little while for renovations. Trust me, it was well worth the wait. They just opened up their new "Pulse Boutique" and I got to go to the opening event for the new store! At the event they had makeup artist Bahar Niramwalla (tweet her @BaharNiramwalla!) who's been featured on The Marilyn Denis Show and she does work for The Globe and Mail as well! Bahar was so sweet and she looked flawless! She walked me through both of The Body Shop's new makeup collections and gave me some special tips and tricks too.

Here's a little quote from the press release that I got at the event on what the new Pulse boutiques are all about:
"Pulse is where our new beauty movement will come to life. With skincare, make-up, body care and values centre stage, Pulse creates a unique and memorable experience that engages, educates and informs. An innovative range of products inspired by nature, bursting with sensorial incredients that tell a rich human story and addiontional in-store campaign-led events will capture the imagination of customers to actively participate in The Body Shop community, aiming to make the world a better place. Pulse is where activism, beauty and community collide!" - The Body Shop on their new "Beauty with heart" innitiative starting with the Pulse Boutiques.

Sounds great huh? It really is! The new store in the Rideau Centre is absolutely beautiful and dare I say it...flawless. It's alot more open looking and everything is so easy to find! Everything is neatly organized and there are little stations that invite you to try the products for yourself. One of the new features of the store is two twin tables that showcase their best products and really encourage you to sit down and get informed. It makes shopping there so much more interactive and informative. Another new thing that I love is that every Pulse boutique will now have a make-up artist (everyone loves a free makeover!) and skincare specialist present at all times instore when you go in. I am one of those people that gets completely overwelmed at stores (Yes I'm a beauty guru and blogger and even I still get confused) and I absolutely love it when people that specialize in what I'm looking for are present, especially when it comes to skincare. So many people do not know how to properly take care of their skin so I think it's so important to have someone that can really explain things to you in a way that is personalized to your own needs. I love all the community outreach initiatives that The Body Shop is taking and all the values that they stand for. I absolutely love that they are against animal testing, which has always been a big thing for me. The new boutique is very Parisian chic in my opinion. They have new antique-looking decor that just gives it a really chic yet home-y feeling:
I was in love witrh this beautiful candle display ontop of the makeup area. So pretty and deffinitelly gave it a kind of country home-y feel.


Now that I've told you a little bit about the new store concept, here's a little look at The Body Shop's awesome new makeup collections:
Honey Bronze

I was in love with this collection from the moment I saw it!
If you want tan and glowy skin for the Spring and Summer then this is your go-to collection.
The collection includes a shimmering dry oil, brilliance powder, a bronzing gel for face, bronzing power, and two lip nectars. All of these products look great and the day right after the event I ordered 3 of them (and I still really want the lip nectars!)!  The most coveted product from the collection is the Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil which is already selling like hotcakes (so run to your Pulse boutique and pick it up!!). It's a lightweight and non-greacy oil with a bit of shimmer that will leave your skin with a beautiful tan and glow. It's streak-free and long lasting plus its made from Community Fair Trade honey and beeswax. This product really does look incredible. Also, another product that I'm loving from their new collection is the bronzing powder. Bahar showed me what is so great about these bronzers. Unlike many bronzers, they are COMPLETELY matte which is hard to find. So if you don't want any of that annoying shimmer all over your face, this is perfect for you. Also, the shades are not harsh. There are four different shades and none of them are too dramatic so your skin really will look like it has a natural glow. To check out the Honey Bronze collection go to your nearest The Body Shop or check it out online at http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/shop-by-line/honey-bronze.aspx          
 
Extra Virgin


Another great collection! This one focuses on mineral foundations. The foundations are available in three formats: Cream, Liquid, and Loose Powder. I love this because it offers different options for everyone and comes in a wide variety of shades (12 to be exact!). It's lightweight and won't make you feel like you're wearing a ton of makeup, which I love. Everyone hates feeling like they have makeup caked up on their face and this collections products deffinitely won't do that. The cream compact foundation comes with its own built-in brush and mirror. It has medium to full coverage and gives a matte finish. It's made with marula oil that will give you up to 14 hours of moisturization! The liquid foundation (usually my favorite kind of foundation format) offers a light to medium coverage and a great fresh finish. It is blendable and also contains the marula oil as well as extra virgin olive oil. The loose power foundation blends easily and gives your complexion a radiant finish. It gives adjustable coverage that reduces the appearance of redness. The whole line is 100% Pure, Fair Trade Incredients and 100% Vegetarian! All of the formulas are non-irritating because they are fragrance and paraben-free as well as suitable for all skin types. Check it out at http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/makeup/mineral-makeup.aspx

And now for a few tips and tricks on how to turn your The Body Shop products into multi-purpose products with Bahar!
One of the fun tips she showed me is how to use The Body Shop's "Metallic Eye Definer" for more then just to line your eyes with! There eye liners are so creamy, blendable and super pigmented. I seriously want them all. Bahar showed me that you can use these as an eye shadow base to really bring out the color and the full potential of your eye shadow. She recommended using them as a base for their "baked eye shadow" since not many people really get the full potential out of these beautiful shadows. She blended the eye liner on her hand and then patted a shadow ontop of it and it really brought its color out. Try it for yourself instore! These metallic liners are a great multi-purpose product but you can do this with any similar products at home.


Bahar is a big fan of finding multiple uses for products. She also showed me how to turn a lipstick into a creamy blush! She used a beautiful coral color (pictured above) and blended it out to show me how you can use it for blush. A little really goes a long way and this color is totally on trend right now for Spring and Summer! It's perfect because it gives you the same color on your cheeks as you have on your lips. Love this tip!

I would have never guessed that lipgloss could double as an eyeshadow primer and as a highlight but it does! Bahar said you can use a small dab of this lipgloss as primer or as a shimmery highlight. She loves the new Honey Bronze collection! She also said she likes to use the dry oil in her hair because it works sort of like an argan oil. It makes her hair feel moisturized, soft, yummy-smelling and gives it a bit of shimmer. I am deffinitely going to be trying that when I get my dry oil!






A big thank you to Cheryl and Bahar for being so informative and making me feel so at home at The Body Shop! I had a great time and learned so many fun things about the new store. I really hope you will all check out the new store and all the great features it has to offer. They have a great promotion going on right now: Buy 1 get 1 50% off and buy 2 get 1 free!

P.S. Check out Fave's next issue for Bahar's favorite eyebrow product!

Tweet me anytime @canadianbeautyg
and you can find me at youtube.com/canadianbeautygen
xo
- Gen

Saturday 7 April 2012

Canterbury High School Fashion Show!




Where: Canterbury High School
Designers: Canterbury Students
Date and Location: March 30-31st

It’s not every day that one of fave’s very own contributors gets to showcase their talents for Ottawa to see. Fave’s Sienna Vittoria Lee-Coughlin along with a few other Canterbury students presented their designs last weekend.   The theme of the show’s designs was centered around a primary monochromatic palette while the second half was more lively and colorful; hence the name Static/Prismatic. The show was managed, modeled and designed solely by the high school students.
Show managers/designers: from left (Emma Dye, Bibiana Aguero, Sienna Vittoria Lee-Choughlin, Corrina Chow and Ariana Bercovitch)

Not knowing what to expect from a high school runway fashion show, I left Canterbury pleasantly surprised. While there were many promising pieces from the 44 student designers, there was a few that truly stood out. Each design on that runway clearly represented a different point of view because each piece was unique in its own way. They varied from casual/practical to lacy/romantic to wild/provoking—you never knew what was coming around the corner. If this show is any indication of the future of Ottawa’s fashion scene, you can rest assured that it is in good hands.
Highlights from the show:




Sienna’s designs were, in my opinion, one of the best in the show – her dresses were so feminine, well executed and sophisticated. Her inspiration came from the classic silhouettes of Audrey Hepburn, the flowing waves and smooth pearls of the ocean. I caught up with Sienna later after the show to ask her a few questions…

1. What were some challenges you faced during the design process?


I am a very linear thinker, and I take a very step-by-step approach to all my endeavors. Although, in regards to my design process, I take on a leap-then-figure-it-out-as-I'm-going method. In other words, I tend to base my designs off of dresses I've created in my mind, rather than having the pattern and fabrics sourced in advance. This is what happened with the cream lace and chiffon gown I designed for the show. I had only a brief preconceived notion of how to actually construct the dress I had signed up to make, and I ran into several difficulties, and was even worried I wouldn't finish on time. Sleepless nights and all, I'm happy to say that after the multitude of hours I spent staring blankly at my sewing machine, I was able to pull it off as I had hoped, and I am quite proud of the finished product.


Sienna with her models Leah Genise and Percy Miller

2. What did you learn from this design experience?
However corny or cliché it may sound, always persevere and don't be afraid to do something simply because you don't have all the answers on how to do it just yet.

3. How has your experience been working with fave magazine?

For as long as I can remember, I have been preparing for life as a fashion designer. Sewing lessons, school fashion shows, sketching, and researching. Although, when I joined Fave, my eyes were opened to other aspects of the industry, that I've come to realize I might really enjoy pursuing - such as fashion journalism, which combines my love of visuals and words. I look forward to having the opportunity to further explore and develop my writing with Fave.


4. Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I have learned over the past year that while it is always beneficial to have a plan in mind, it is not good if it keeps your mind closed to other things. I can say with certainty that I will be working in the fashion industry. Although, whether I am designing, producing fashion shows, writing, or editing, I can't say for certain. Right now writing and editing magazines is what I am most drawn to, but everything changes depending on where you are, who you meet, what you learn, what you're exposed to, how you evolve, and what you experience. I look forward to seeing what happens.


5. Who would you consider to be your fashion icon?


I will always be inspired by classic beauties such as Audrey Hepburn. Anytime I need inspiration, or cheering up, I can always turn to Breakfast at Tiffanys. I am very inspired by musicians from the grunge era or the times of classic rock, in order to add a daring edge to a classic aesthetic. I also look to art, classic novels, and directly to designers for inspiration - I am not one to turn to current Hollywood celebrities for style ideas. I suppose you could say I am retro, romantic, and nostalgic when it comes to my personal style.
            
Fave is extremely proud to have such a promising young star on the team – Good job Sienna!

Thank you so much to Lama Zbib (who wrote this whole post) for covering this event!
Unfortunetly I was not able to attend but it looks like it was amazing.
Great job Sienna!
xo
- Gen

Monday 2 April 2012

Best Dressed at the Junos!

Hey guys!So last night the Junos happened here in Ottawa and though I was not there I did catch up on some of the fashionable moments that went on during it. Here are my favorite looks of the glamorous Canadian music night!
Feist


Not only do I absolutely love her music but I'm crazy about her style too! This beautiful red gown looks magnificent on her. I love the sleek black belt with gold hardwear and how it exentuates her waist nicely. The dress worked perfectly with her slender body type and I really love the laidback hair.

Alyssa Reid



I love this bright violet dress! It really pops against her her fair complexion and brunette locks. I love the cinching at the waist with the beautiful gem-encrusted sash. Her hair looks gorgeous in loose waves and i love the beautiful youthful glow to her makeup! This look is so fun and youthful. Deffinitely one of my favorites of the night.

Aleesia



Speaking of beautiful loose waves, Aleesia's hair was totally enviable last night. I was actually totally in love with her sparkly show-stopping outfit. I love the fun colors and the beautiful jewels all over the dress, especially at the bust. She kept her shoes nude which was a wise choice with this very bold outfit choice. This is a really fun dress and I honestly think she totally pulled it off. Oh and...is it just me or did Alyssa Reid totally wear the same dress during her performance:
Oh well! It looks stunning on both of them. And I love Alyssa Reid's retro hairstyle during this performance! (Check out my Spring/Summer hair trend guide and youll see that it is totally in style right now)


Carly Rae Jepson
I just coulden't resist mentioning this cutie! Her dress gave a great pop of color and I love all the beautiful pleats in it. I think it was a very pretty dress even though I must admit it looks more like something you would wear to a high school prom. However, she totally pulled it off with the youthful hairstyle and makeup! Love her!

Lights

I have always loved Lights' punk-y style and this suit dress is no exception! Love the unique hair that she's always rocking too. What a gorgeous navy dress with so many little simply details that really make her look stunning. Love the buttons, the belt and the pleat at the shoulder (is that a bow?). Super cute and deffinitely suits (haha yes a pun) her style! It makes her look so grown up and sophisticated while still sticking to her unique punk-y style.

Victoria Duffield

Although I admit I am not the biggest fan of her music, I am in love with this cute outfit. Perfect for a girl her age and for the occasion. This is a gorgeous romper that deffinitely was on trend along with all the other bright bold colors we saw last night. Also, have you noticed that the cinching at the waist was widely popular? I love her gold and blue jewelry and her hair was alot of fun too. This romper is deffinitely chic and looks more sophisticated then summer-y, which I like for a red carpet look of course.

And here are some of my favorite men's fashion that I saw at the Junos...


Diamond Rings

The jacket says it all! So bold yet so fabulous! And I love the hair!

Hedley
I have to admit they totally looked laidback but really stylish last night. Love their jackets and how put together everyone looks.

JRDN

Love this! The suit's blazer is stunning!!!

Karl Worlf
This ensemble was so fun that I coulden't help but love it. I know it's a little tacky and not to my usually taste but seriously who doesn't love a bright blue suit with a bold red tie?! He deffinitelly brightened up the red carpet and I love it.

What were your favorite fashions at the Junos?
Did you attend the awards?
Tweet me @canadianbeautyg
xox
- Gen