24 Kt Cleopatra Gold Facial & Mask

Gold masks are the latest beauty trend. Cleopatra was well known for applying a facial mask of PURE GOLD to her face every night before going to bed.  More recently, we hear from a Now-Daily UK magazine that celebrities like Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, and Victoria Beckham have chosen facials containing real gold flakes in their pursuit for everlasting beauty. Victoria Beckham also launched a limited edition Heaven golden bee venom mask (£352), which is around 650 CAD. 

 The 24k Gold Collagen Mask line by Jamela skin care uses pure mineral gold infused with high-strength natural plant collagen and anti-oxidants including vitamin E and rose essence to promote rapid collagen and elastin synthesis to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while firming and hydrating the skin for a lasting youthful glow.

The mask is very simple to use.  All you have to do is peel it from its pack, apply to your face, sit back, relax and let the mask do its work.  When applied to the skin, the ingredients in the Gold Collagen mask are absorbed into the skin where they immediately start to form a protective layer against free radicals. They instantly react to the skin’s natural chemistry and help to replace the collagen that decreases with age.  These innovative masks contain 100 per cent high molecular plant collagen with 24k mineral gold, which is absorbed at 10 times the rate of a traditional face mask. 

What’s more, they retain their moisture so the mask is comfortable to wear for up to 5 hours, but are effective after 30 minutes, producing no mess. After only 30 minutes, your skin looks plumper and feels smoother. Once you’ve finished with the mask pop it into a warm bath with you where they will dissolve for the additional benefits of a softer, smoother body.

Where can you get it:-

Esthetics of Lara- in Yorkville provides amazing 24kt Gold facial for hydrating the skin.

The Jamela Skin Care 24k Gold Collagen mask line is available to purchase  from www.Jamelaskincare.co.uk   Prices: 24k Gold Face Masks £37.50 (5 mask pack) which is around 50.23 CAD

Victoria Beckham – Heaven golden bee venom mask- http://www.heavenskincare.com/Products/BeeVenomGold.aspx

 

Do It Yourself Hair Conditioning Mask

Our hair has been through three months of winter hats, and has a little while longer until spring when it can breathe again. If your hair is like mine, the cold weather and constant heat dries it out. And if your wallet looks like mine a deep conditioning treatment at the salon is not in the budget. But fear not your hair can be saved from the harsh cold weather for a fraction of the price and possibly even for free!

After pinteresting my little heart out, looking for a magic remedy to save my brittle weak locks, I combined a few hair mask recipes and abracadabra my hair feels like silk.

The best thing about this hair potion, is that you probably have all the ingredients for it in your kitchen AND… its au natural. So here you go in just 20 minutes your hair will transform from straw into Rapunzel’s long tresses.

What you’ll need:

2 heaping tbsp dry mustard

½ cup olive oil

1 egg

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp honey

plastic wrap

       * If you have thick hair you may want to double the recipe.

1. Mix it all together… it should have a gooey consistency.
2. Scoop a little bit out with your hands and massage it into your hair starting at the root.             Make sure      you get it all the way to the ends of your hair, where the most damage is. (You may want to do this   over the sink…it can get a little messy)
3. Use your fingers or a fine tooth comb to slick it all back and twist it into a bun.
4. Wrap all of your hair in plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.* Don’t be alarmed if your head is tingling. That’s the mustard and cayenne pepper in action! The heat is supposed to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and help your hair to grow.
5. After 20 minutes remove the plastic wrap and wash your hair. You may need to shampoo it two or three times to get all of the oil out.
6. Condition and let air dry.

And there you go silky shiny hair without spending a penny!

- Written by Brittni Monk

6 Trendy Beauty Looks to Rock Now

Bold Brows

Seen on the runway over and over again, bold, bushy eyebrows are definitely here to stay. The look has been on every fashionista’s radar and this winter it’s popular as ever. To get this season’s must-have beauty look remember that although bold brows frame and define the eyes, they require grooming and upkeep to ensure you don’t get that “stuck in a coma for the last 10 years” look instead! If your brows are on the thinner side don’t fret, fill them in with some shadow one-to-two shades lighter then your brows for instant va-va-voom you crave!

Not To Do:
Totally Overdone

The Look:
Perfectly Bold

Dark Lips

One of the most prominent looks on the runway this season was dark lipstick. Romantic-with-a-gothic influence was seen time and time again and the makeup matched. When trying to achieve this look at home try rich berry shades and deep, dark plums. Always remember when trying this look to keep the rest of your makeup minimal to ensure your bold lips aren’t competing for attention. 

The Look:
Kate's Perfect Bold Lips
(no competition here for attention!)

Bold,Coloured Eye Liner

Coloured liner is one of the biggest trends for winter. One of the most popular ways to emulate this look is to add a thin strip of a bold jewel tone to your upper lash line, and remember a little colour goes a long way!

The Look:
Teal Coloured Liner

Bare Faced Beauty

If the thought of bold lips and colourful eyeliner makes you squirm in your seat, then this approach to make up will be right up your alley. Minimal makeup looks made a huge statement in the campaigns for Calvin Klein where they showed off women looking beautiful and fuss free. Nothing says beauty more than a youthful fresh face that stands out on its own. 

The Look:
Beautifully Bare Faced

Low Volume Waves

This winter a stylish hairstyle with a bit of a summer twist is on my radar:low volume hair with a sleek finish and a couple waves toward the bottom half of the hair. Two-or-three loose braids can be added to the bottom half of your hair at night and taken out in the morning will easily achieve this look. 

The Look:
Perfect Low Volume Waves

Written by: Lindsey Kennerknecht

And the winner is... Olivia Culpo from the USA - or is she?

Just hours ago, Olivia Culpo, Miss USA was crowned the ultimate title - Miss Universe! Beauty and brains, this brunette bombshell had total support from the audience, and the judges as well. Putting all of that aside however, who really stole the show in the much anticipated evening gown portion? Let's take a closer look.

Starting from the left, Gabriela Markus of Brazil is wearing a stunning floor length beaded gown, that shows off her curves and features a daring slit. It kind of feels like a mix Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie’s red carpet style. Sexy yet elegant.

Then we have our winner, Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo representing the USA. She is showing skin in all the right places by adding one main focal point- a plunging neckline to this full sleeve velvet ball gown. Looking at this chic and stunning dress, I was shocked when I found out that this young lady is only 20 years old! This dress might be a little too sophisticated for her, but none the less gorgeous, and the classiest gown of the night in my opinion.

Moving onto Ranae Ayris of Australia in a crisp white strapless gown, that featured a structured corset-like bodice, which flowed into fitted and embroidered skirt that flared into a chiffon bottom. This dress hugged her in all the right places, but I don’t think it made much of a statement.

I must say, personality wise I thought the runner up Janine Tugonon of the Philippines should have won, but her dress? Underwhelming. I really don’t mean to be harsh but it reminds me of a bad 90’s prom dress, from the outdated colour to the unflattering style- she could’ve done so much better!

Lastly, and in my opinion the worst dressed of the top 5 ladies, is Irene Esser of Venezuela. Hmm... where to begin.. I feel like I'm playing that game, “what doesn’t belong?” I’ll leave it at that.

So after taking a closer look at these lovely ladies and their fabulous gowns, who do you think is the best dressed? Ill tell you what I think, USA takes the crown again! 

Olivia went a different route, leaving more to the imagination and it paid off. I have a feeling we will be seeing knock-off versions of this dress hitting stores all over the world very soon. 

Let's hear it for world peace!

Written by: Karolina Swietoniowska

Be a stylist and play this fun game that lets you Dress Up Olivia Culpo!

Missed it on TV? Check out the announcing of the Miss Universe Top 5

Spice up your holiday look - DIY style

It's that time of year again- one holiday party after another, and other than a great outfit, how else can you add some sizzle to your look and stand out at the next holiday bash? Nothing can be more simple (and inexpensive) than some fun make up! Here are 3 easy ways that you can change up your look this year:

*Note - using all three of these options can cause makeup overload, my suggestion is to pick one at a time and run with it!

1. The lips say it all

Bold lip colours in every shade imaginable have been trending this year, so for the holidays take it up a notch and try a bright, bold, and rich hue. In this case, keep the rest of your makeup simple and muted, the focus here is on the lips. Don't be afraid to try a deep and dark colour, choose a shade that looks great on you and go a few shades darker.

2. Colour combo eyes

Colour blocking and combining clashing tones has been all over the runway, so do the same with your eyes! Take two contrasting hues opposite on the colour wheel, ( for example yellow and purple, blue and orange, or even red and green if you really want to be festive!) and apply the lighter colour on the inside of the lid, and the darker colour on the outside and in the crease. Don't forget to put a neutral highlighter under the brow and on the inside corners of the eye!

3. Well manicured lady

The counters are filled with hundreds of shades of nail polish, from matte, to pearly, to the new trend this year - glitter and sparkle. These polishes can get pricey though, and they rarely turn out as glitter packed as they seem! An easy way to use up that left over glitter from your high school art project, is to mix it into a bottle of your clear nail polish! Another great way is to apply a clear coat on your nails first, then quickly sprinkle on the glitter while it's wet so it will stick, then finish with another clear layer, VIOLA!

*Tip - Match the base colour with the colour of the glitter for a cleaner look.

Hope you got a little inspiration and helpful tips to take on the holidays, DIY style... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

By: Karolina Swietoniowska

For more great holiday ideas, check out Pinterest!

Fashion's Biggest Names Bring Disney to Life at Harrod's

A Tale as Old as Time.

Written by: Billy Vasilios


Guy or girl, we've all wanted to be a Disney princess, or be with a Disney princess. Needless to say, we've all been surrounded by these beautiful characters for as long as we can remember. They are apart of our culture and they are a significant part of our childhood. As children, I remember sitting in front of the television with my cousins and watching Disney movies for hours. We would even go as far as dressing up and bringing these enchanted characters to life, and on November 1st, 2012, Harrod's specialty department store did just that. They brought these princesses to life. Harrod's unveiled their Christmas windows which coincide with a 7,000 square-foot Disney pop-up boutique on the fourth floor. There is nothing more magical than walking by your department stores' Christmas windows and feeling that sparkle of warmth ignite inside of you on that cool winter night. This year, the Christmas windows have been taken over by some of fashion's biggest names, re-creating their imaginings of the iconic fairy tale dresses. Designers such as Valentino, Marchesa, Oscar de la Renta and Versace have all come together to bring our childhood to life. 

Below are a few of the window displays I love.

Cinderella by Versace

Ariel from The Little Mermaid by Marchesa




Jasmin from Aladdin by Escada

Snow White by Oscar de la Renta

 

Belle from Beauty and the Beast in Valentino

 

Rapunzel by Jenny Packham




Which window is your favourite?

Happy Christmas, and always remember, it's never too late for your own fairy tale.

Sourced from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/