on the couch

I'm home sick today, lying in a comatose-like state on the couch, where I've been for the better part of 3 days in the same sweatpants. That's right - I haven't even changed my clothes.

Don't you hate it when the worst colds come out of nowhere? Even worse is when colds seem to arrive during the busiest weeks of life. I've been knocked off my feet, but in a weird way it seems like this was necessary.

I've just finished up edits on a few events I've been doing, and am looking forward to posting those images over the next few days.

In other news, I bought two new lenses this summer. This Canon 85mm prime lens, though by no means a pro-level lens, is the best I've got, and is my new favourite toy. It helps me take really dreamy images like this:




and blurs out backgrounds beautifully like this:

One day I'll be able to afford the lens, which is about 4 times the price of this one, but until that day, I am so happy to have this one.

And now, I'm heading back to the couch!

smashbox fall 2010 masquerade collection

Right beside the building where I'm taking my Photoshop night classes is a huge drugstore with a sprawling luxury cosmetics section. It's the perfect place to visit during break time.

Tonight I tested Smashbox's fall 2010 Masquerade collection, and it is glorious. The three best parts of the collection are:

The Creamy Cheek Colour and Brush is so smooth, and it can be blended seamlessly and streaklessly onto the apples of cheeks using the kabuki style brush on the other end. Smart, compact, and high quality. The colour is also a great coral pink that would be flattering to most skin tones.

The eye palette is great because it contains a perfect balance of creamy and matte neutrals and very rich metallics. I tested every colour and each one is velvety and densely pigmented. I know the general rule is to wear the neutrals for day and jewel tones for night. I personally think, however, that if you blend a jewel tone really well into the crease of your eyelid, or apply it with a slanted brush to your top lash line, it looks stunning for day. This is one of the best, most versatile and wearable palettes I've seen in years.

The O-Gloss Noir is just amazing. Like the original O-Gloss, this lip gloss is meant to appear differently on every person's natural lip colour. On mine, it morphed into a perfect rose-plum that had just a hint of vamp. If I were to buy one part of this collection, O-Gloss Noir would be it!

summer 2010 beauty picks

Here are the goodies I'm turning to as my summer beauty favourites. One row at a time!

Body Shop Lightening Touch Concealer

This concealer works by reflecting light away from the skin, disguising dark circles and blemishes with a feather-light finish. The applicator brush is really soft and gentle, which goes easy on the thin and delicate skin under your eyes.

Rusk Coral Therapy Marine Nutrient Treatment

This treatment goes on thick, smells incredible, and rescues sun-fried summer hair. I also really love the colour of the tub.


Bare Escentuals All-over Face Colour in Warmth

Bare Escentuals has a whole collection of All-over Face Colours, but Warmth is one of the best. It's a very natural-looking bronzer that works best when applied with a big fluffy brush and a light hand.

Klorane Dry Shampoo

As I've posted before, I love dry shampoo. This one is not quite as good as KMS's hair makeover, but it does the trick if you can only make it to the drugstore. As a warning, spray from at least 10 inches from your scalp, or you'll end up with white, powdery roots!


Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Coral Queen

Rimmel is really great about releasing new, on-trend shades for each season. Their colours are always very rich, especially for a drugstore brand. Coral Queen (and its toned-down, frosted cousin, Soft Coral) is a fabulous shade for summer, especially when worn with bronze tones on eyes and cheeks. It would also transition well into fall, to be worn as a pop of brightness with a plum eyeliner or a chocolate brown shadow and neutral blush.

Too Faced Natural Eye Kit

Whenever I travel, I treat myself to a new makeup product. Some people opt for shot glasses or snow globes, but I love buying cosmetics and trying them out when I go out that night in a new city. Every time I use the product afterwards, I remember that particular vacation. I picked up this kit at the Sephora on 5th Avenue on my trip to NYC this spring. The shadows are finely milled and rich, and the shades are just lovely. It's a great product to pop in your bag with some foundation, mascara and lipstick when packing light for a trip.

Morrocanoil Oil Treatment

My friend Kate -- a beauty editor with a huge arsenal of products to test, and serious knowledge of what makes a quality item -- names Morrocanoil as one of her favourite beauty products. What I love about it is that it simultaneously fights frizz and adds powerful shine while treating and conditioning the hair. It's a nice alternative to the silicone-based products that were so popular in the last decade (Citre Shine, Frizz Ease) as it's really just beautifully scented argan oil. The one downside is it's pretty pricey; a large bottle runs about $40. Start with the small bottle at $14 to see how you like it, or try a drugstore brand argan oil for only $6.


Anastasia Brow Stencils

I finally bought these babies after reading about them and recommending them to friends for years. They are just great for touching up your brow shape, or for starting from scratch if you've never shaped your brows before.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

A few months ago I did a photoshoot with Andrea Hausmann (an amazing Montreal photographer) for my birthday. The pics are pretty intense, so I'm too shy to share them here at the moment, but they are so well done. Andrea has a great team working in her studio, and Christelle Souverbie, is her talented in-house makeup artist. Christelle recommended several products to me, but the one I was most interested in was this eye shadow primer. As she explained, this stuff will lock in your eyeshadow for a week! It's a great product for special events such as weddings where long-lasting makeup is a must.

Smashbox Cream Eyeliner Palette

As I referenced in my previous post, this cream liner does not move, melt, or smudge unless you're dealing with extreme conditions. It's softer than liquid liner and easier to apply than kohl liner (pencil) and comes in a variety of rich shades. This palette is a good starter kit to help you find the shade that best suits your colouring.

Joe Fresh Lip Stain

As my longtime readers will know, lip stain is my favourite beauty product. I've tried pretty much every one on the market. Benefit's Benetint is the gold standard, but Joe Fresh's is the best low price version I've seen. The colour selection is great, the staying power is impressive, and the price ($6) is right.

L'Oreal Superior Preference hair colour in Red Copper Auburn

Lastly, this is my preferred shade of hair colour these days. I was hooked on Frederick Fekkai's line until it (sadly) stopped being sold at Murale and Sephora's near me. This shade is vibrant, long-lasting, and as natural-looking as red on a dirty blonde can be.

montreal shopping: rokokonut par kitsch 'n swell

Here I am drooling over accessories at Rokokonut, a brand new store on Montreal's Rue St-Laurent. This store is so amazing, and so new it doesn't even have a website yet. You can check out the site of its parent store Kitsch 'n Swell if you really want to, but I'd suggest reading this review by Apartment Therapy instead.

So come to Montreal, venture into this '60s boudoir, and see for yourself. Tacky chic jewellery, vintage corsets, depression glassware, bedazzled pasties, and many a fringed lantern await you.

review: nuxe crème fraîche

This is the good stuff, folks.

I decided to spring for a slightly more pricey cream. I normally try to stay in the < $20 range when it comes to moisturizer, but my winter-ravaged skin was screaming out (read: flaking and swelling and turning red) for something more potent.

After a lengthy consultation with the cosmetician, I decided on Crème Fraîche by Nuxe. Formulated for dry and very dry skin, this cream lives up to its claim to moisturize for 24 hours. If I put it on before bed, I can skip moisturizing the next morning and my skin still feels great all day.

It's all-natural, paraben free, and packed full of plant milks, saps, and essential oils. I love the way it just soaks into my skin, soothing instantly. After just over a week of using it, I notice a huge difference in the quality of my complexion.

It's about $35, which is a few levels up from my usual Oil of Olay or La Roche-Posay favourites, but my skin is forcing me to have more expensive taste.

I would highly recommend Crème Fraîche as a salve for anyone who suffers from painfully dry and red skin, especially in the winter.

review: kms hairplay makeover spray

Until recently, I'd sworn off bangs entirely. Every time I tried to rock them, I would be appalled by photos of me with combover-esque cowlicks and greasy, stringy fringe, I had resigned myself to the sad fact that bangs would never work for me. That was before I discovered dry shampoo.

Anyone who's had bangs knows that small section of hair gets dirty way before the rest of the head does. No matter how clean the rest of one's hair is, greasy bangs can make a girl look like a pubescent athlete post-gym class.

Dry shampoo is the solution!

Back in November, I posted about Cake Beauty's Satin Sugar Hair & Body Refreshing Powder.

Since I was travelling almost every day over the holidays and not having access to showers, blowdriers, and flat irons, I purchased KMS Hairplay Makeover Spray and was thrilled with the results. I can go from looking haggard to fresh in 5 seconds with this stuff.

Costs approximately $18. I'm still on the hunt for a cheaper dry shampoo (since it looks like I'll be using bottles of it), but this one is worth the investment.

cusp of winter beauty picks

Alright folks, the air is starting to get dry just as our social calendars are starting to fill up for the seasons. 'Tis the season to slough off the dead skin, breathe some life into our dry hair, and put some rouge on our cheeks. I've been doing all sorts of testing (and online trolling) to bring you my beauty picks to whip you into tip top condition.

First up, Satin Sugar by Cake Beauty. If you're like me, cold weather and busy days see you waiting a little longer between hair washes. This sweetly scented powder (for both light and dark shades) soaks up oil, and leaves hair clean and fluffy. Toss it in your purse for a post-work touch up to your bangs before heading out.



On the subject of hair, I've been using this amazing Lush bestseller, BIG shampoo. It smells incredible, and it pumps an amazing amount of volume into your locks.



This amazing Ultimate Blockbuster palette by Sephora is fantastic. I was lucky enough to receive one from my friend Kate last year, and I have used the awesome array of colours for my own daily beauty routine, as well as for countless photo shoots. I tend to be skeptical about the quality of cosmetics in large sets, but all of the products in this set perform really well. At under $50, it's an amazing deal that will give you a lot of mileage.

More beauty picks to come soon.

macarons

Have you ever tried a macaron? They're feathery light cookies: satiny smooth and crispy on the outside, moist and chewy within, with a hint of smooth filling in the centre. They come in a spectrum of pastel shades, and an amazing array of flavour combinations.

Until living in Montreal, I'd never had the chance to feast on one of these cookie gems.Here, you can spot them basking in bakery windows, in all their pastel-coloured glory. Once the aroma of vanilla and toasted almonds wafts out the bakery door reaches out to you, you'll be following your nose to where food ectasy marks the spot.

The first time I tasted them, it was at Boutique Point G on Avenue Mont Royal. I had been marveling at a model of the Eiffel tower that has been formed out of their smooth surfaces. Macarons. Delicious, decadent, and delicate.

I walked into the patisserie-café under the premise of taking a closer look at the presumably tasty, brightly coloured tower, and was greeted by the head pastry chef himself. “Did you see the tower?” he asks. I nod, while staring at the glass case that displays Point G's macarons like jewels.

"It is made of our newest flavours: coconut with salted caramel, pistachio, and crème brulée.”

Within 30 seconds I was back out on the street again, now clutching a paper bag of the aforementioned cookies. I gingerly lifted one out of the bag and took a bite. Right inside crunchy outermost shell, the airy centre is gently scented with coconut, and sandwiched in between the two layers is an amazing caramel coulis that achieves the perfect balance of salt and sugar.

Sweet, sugary bliss.

So again, have you tried macarons? If so, what flavours have you tasted?

summer makeup picks

Let's take a second to acknowledge that this collage is clearly not my best work. Ok? Ok. Moving on, here are my picks for makeup this summer. Clockwise from top left:

Aqua Eyes Eyeliner by Makeup Forever
One day I felt like being indulgent and got my makeup done before going out on a Friday night. Apparently, I wasn't the only one going unnecessarily glam, as the store had just been cleared of dozens of fans and their moms who'd come to get their makeup done before going to the Britney/Pussycat Dolls concert. I was very sorry to have missed seeing those finalized makeup looks. "Homer, you've got it set on whore!" Anyone?

Back to my point. The makeup artist put this eyeliner on me and it stayed vibrant all night. I bought one in violet and wear it constantly, even when it doesn't match my outfit because it glides on beautifully and really stays.

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Scorching Sun
I don't own this duo yet, but I plan to once I pinch my pennies for a few more weeks. I tried it on at a Sephora in Manhattan and was struck by how well the pigment could be applied, and was shocked that it suited my ghostly pale skin. All the reviews I've read of it claim this duo of bright gold and glazed apricot is flattering to all skin tones.

MAC Paint in Bare Canvas
Quite simply, it's a fantastic base that will make your shadow stay put, and prevent creasing. It can also be worn alone for a lovely, smooth look. I would especially recommend using this or a similar eye base for a special event such as a wedding or prom... or any night if you're a sweaty individual or if there is any kind of booze involved.

"Tresor D'Afrique" Palette by YSL Beauty
Annoying colonialist name aside, this palette is pretty fabulous. Richly pigmented, it went on really well when I sampled it, and would flatter both warm and cool skin tones of all shades.

Eye Shadow Quads by Annabelle
Finally, other drugstore brands are taking a hint from L'Oreal (HIP) and trying to knock off higher end brands such as MAC and Makeup Forever by offering highly pigmented eye shadows. Canadian brand Anabelle took it a step further and created customizable palettes (à la MAC) at a much lower price point. I've yet to try these (besides on the back of my hand) but I like them in theory because I like anything customizable and affordable. I really would have appreciated this a few years ago, but I am happy that Canadian teens will be able to afford to get creative with their palettes. Babysitting money stretches a lot farther on a drugstore brand budget!

Newbie Collection by Bare Escentuals
A fantastic price ($18) for an into kit to one of my top 5 all-time products, bare minerals foundation et al.

California Kissin' Gloss by Benefit
I've had my eye on this baby for a while now, so I jumped for joy when in arrived in the mail as part of my bday gift from Brian's family. With its blue shimmer, it offsets the yellow in one's teeth, and apparently brightens the smile. While I'm not 100% sold on that, it definitely brightens my mood with its minty, sparkly goodness. It reminds me of retro Crest toothpaste from the 80s.

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo
A few weeks ago, I attended a Mad Men party (I am so white). After one vodka soda, I was forcing this lipstick on every female attendee. It has a completely matte finish (much like the lipstick available in the late 50s-early 60s) and really sticks to your lips for a long time. I think it's my new go-to red.

Lastly, MAC has finally started posting tutorials. As much as I like watching the all sassy gals on Youtube, it's refreshing to watch videos that don't have star wipes or terrible theme music. The sculpted lip video is especially good.

the trunk

I've been thinking a lot about consumption for several reasons.

First of all, my finance savvy friend just gave me a budget makeover, so I have become very conscious of my spending and consumption habits (my Cadbury mini egg addiction, for example, is now on hiatus). Secondly, spring cleaning has forced me to air out my unused clothing, tchotchkes, and junk. What was I planning to do with all those hideous wooden beads, anyway?

Living in Montreal is a big part of my lifestyle shift as well. I've noticed that there is definitely an ethos of sustainability (lots of restaurants ask you to bring your own takeout dishes; the proliferation of biodegradable water bottles), recycling (clothing swaps), and reinvention (many artists who use pre-used, found or eco-friendly materials) here.

Not to go all hippie on you or anything, but being eco chic comes surprisingly naturally for me. Plus, I'm a lot more inclined to recycle and reinvent given my strict budget of the moment.

Now more than ever, furniture shopping on Craigslist makes sense. In an effort not to waste resources or money, Brian and I have agreed not to buy crap furniture just for the sake of filling our apartment. Sure, we haven't had a coffee table since we moved in, but at least we haven't had a terrible coffee table (that we would inevitably toss out or donate) either! We had an idea in mind and decided to wait until we found exactly what we were looking for.

And found it we did, this Saturday. During a random scan of the furniture section on Craigslist, I spotted the antique, flat-top trunk we've been imagining for 6 months. It was affordable, and the seller only lived a 1o minute walk from us. So we picked it up, carried it home in the rain, and after a healthy spritz of vinegar and lavender extract (to banish the smoke smell), it's perfect!

Now only one question remains: does being excited about this make me as nerdy and boring as I suspect it does?

shopping lists

It took me exactly 2 separate trips and 3 total hours of browsing to spend my entire Indigo gift certificate. It was, for a book nerd such as me, pure bliss. I never have money that I can spend so freely in a bookstore, and it was eerily easy to spend it all.

I bought books I've been meaning to buy for years.

For those who would like to borrow, let me know! Or, if you've read any of the following, I would love to know what you think of them

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Márquez
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon
Patisseries of Paris by Janine Cahill
Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting by Catherine Jamieson and Sean McCormick
The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia

CDs (yes, I still buy cds when I have some pocket change):
Coeur de Pirate (Self-Titled)
Serena Ryder (If Your Memory Serves You Well)

I also bought some gifts for friends, and gave a chunk of it to Brian to buy stuff for himself. I wouldn't normally be so generous, but he'd been supporting my chocolate habit quite generously while I was job hunting, so it's only fair.

There's something about spending that seems to inspire more of itself. After reading Garcia's The One Hundred (a decently informative but generally boring book filled with lots of irrelevant quotes, but with gorgeous illustrations), I decided to take stock of my wardrobe and see how many of the 100 items I already owned, and which ones I should plan to get next.

I'm not an avid shopper by any means, though mostly for lack of funds, but when I do shop I like to buy pieces with lasting power. After browsing through my closet, I counted 39 items from the list. I made a list of the 32 things I wanted to buy next, and made a mini list to put in my wallet.

My hope is that when I'm out shopping and see something I like, I will force myself to consult the list and try to only buy it if its on it.

Boring? Sort of. But there's something exciting about re-building the bones of my wardrobe. I donated 60% of my clothes and accessories during the move last summer, and the process made me realize how many of my pieces didn't work together. It was a jumble of hoodies and "bar shirts" from my undergrad, which didn't translate very well to my post-school lifestyle.

So before I start buying whimsical stuff again, I am going back to basics. Sunday, for example, I bought 3 much-needed belts. I had thankfully gotten rid of the remnants of my old belt collection, which had been inspired by my fleeting love for Shakira and Evanescence (the fact that I let cringe-worthy artists inspire my purchases is evidence enough of my need to follow a shopping program). I also found 3 more items from my list: a man's white shirt, a clutch and a pea coat.

Next on the list: a good quality pair of ballet flats for spring, if it ever arrives.

l'oreal double extension beauty tubes mascara

Damn. I was excited for this one. After significant miscommunication between FedEx and I, this package from Matchstick finally arrived at my door. The package of makeup was generous and fun. The featured product, being l'oreal double extension beauty tubes mascara, was a major disappointment.

To test out the kit, I wiped off all my makeup to start fresh.

I then applied the liquid eyeliner and smokey eyes eyeshadow quad, which both went on smoothly and with surprisingly rich pigmentation. The eyeliner (in carbon black) was especially nice. I used the little brush set that came in the kit, which was cute and effective.

I then applied the white base coat, which is meant to lengthen and build the lashes. So far, so good. The problem arose when I pulled out the wand for the mascara and saw that it was covered in black chunks.

Despite the odd appearance, I tried applying it on my lashes anyways, none stuck. Instead, it just fell to floor in chunks.

As I paused to take photos, the base coat started stinging my eyes. My eyes are not normally sensitive, so this was troubling.

I tried again to apply the mascara, but it just wasn't working, unfortunately.

I can't imagine that this is the intended texture of the mascara, but I tried both tubes and they both were very chunky. My guess would be that in the transportation process (which was lenghty, due to the mix-ups) the temperature changes affected the consistency. That is the only explanation I can think of.


Final review: eyeshadow, eyeliner and brushes: good. Mascara: unfortunately terrible (but may or may not have been damaged in transport).

mid-winter makeup

Winter, as you know, is in full swing. All the more reason to take care of our skin, and load on thick layers of moisturizer! I've been trolling my favourite beauty sites for stuff that touches my makeup-loving heart. Here's some fun stuff I've come across that might be worth your while for looking lovely on a cold winter's eve.

Bare Escentuals Buxom Betty Collection:
There's always room in your makeup kit for a set that produces smokey eyes and stained lips. I know we're not supposed to combine the two, but if you want to look amazing in low lighting, I say go for it. Bare Escentuals is an amazing line, and the less chemicals you can put on your face, the better. So, when you're loading on the product to look sultry, why not use ones that are easier on your pores?

Revlon Matte Collection:
Late on the Mad Men train, I feel like I am the last person I know to become obsessed with the show and its aesthetics. Hey, I was tied up with The Wire (and then mourning its end) for a long time, folks! Anyways, the show has reminded me of my love for makeup of the 50s and 60s: matte, peaches-and-cream, and glamourous. Revlon's Matte Collection is a budget shortcut to mimicking Joan Holloway et al's looks. And, if you want further instruction, AMC posted a video all about the show's makeup:


Benefit 10:
This product is a lot of fun, and pretty much foolproof. While professional makeup artists use contouring all the time to sculpt their model's faces, it does require a fair amount of skill. This product loads your brush with contouring shade (bronzer, in this case) and highlighter (a shimmery seashell pink) to add depth under your cheekbones and make the apples of your cheeks pop. I used it on Carolyn for the pic below:



My all-time favourite face bar:
I know I've written about this before, but I really, really love Lipikar Surgras, in all its unpronounceable perfection. It is the most soothing, moisturizing, gentle face wash I have ever found. I don't even think it's supposed to be a face wash, rather a moisturizing body bar for extremely dry skin. BUT, it is heavenly for my usually flaky, tight skin. I am never going back to another face wash. Thanks to this and the bevy of moisturizers I slather on, my face hasn't flaked once this winter.

And a collection I don't want to like, but can't help it:
MAC did the Barbie thing over a year ago, so I'm not sure why Stila has decided to do it now, and with an inferior colour collection, but this ode to Barbie palette does look like fun. Recommended for tanned skin only.

A Mascara I'm dying to try:
I'm not even sure how well this works, but just look at how cool that wand is!

And, the most ridiculous product I've seen in a while:
Though I'm a firm believer in choosing makeup and colours to complement one's colouring, I am getting pretty tired of the lame products that attempt to appeal to our longing for eye colour individuality. Especially ones that can't feasibly work. There is no way that "black pearl" shimmer in a mascara is going to make my eyes look browner. Blue shimmer does not bring out your baby blues! First of all, you choose the opposite on the colour wheel to make your eyes pop (in the case of blue, orange or brown), not the same colour. Secondly, an imperceptible shimmer of blue is not going to do jack all. What a truly dumb product. I especially get annoyed by the ads (below), which feature Rihanna with a ray of light beaming into her eye, as if implying that the mascara would actually have an illuminating effect.
I have tried to find something in Cover girl's marketing copy for this product that makes sense, but there is nothing redeeming. If it read "We shoved some trace amounts of glitter in this mediocre mascara for those people who might like that kind of thing. It actually does nothing, but at the very least the packaging is kind of nice," I would be more impressed by Cover Girl than I am now.

review: harajuku lovers fragrance

Today I received a promotional package of a new fragrance collection by Gwen Stefani, Harajuku Lovers. I am happy to say that I liked them individually (for the most part), and I think they work well as a collection. There is nothing overly unique about the scents, rather they all seem to incorporate familiar and well-loved notes such as vanilla, violet, coconut, pear, and musk. Many of the scents stir up all sorts of childhood recollections, and with scent being the sense most closely associated to memory, these perfumes are an example of the way just a sniff can conjure up all sorts of nostalgic thoughts.

That being said, these fragrances are best suited for younger ladies. The cutesy packaging (each bottle is a cartoon version of Gwen and her backup Harajuku dancers) could be very attractive to 'tweens and early teens (I would have been hooked at that age at least). At the same time, as a twentysomething I also enjoy most of them. Use sparingly and they are truly subtle and sweet; overdo it, however, and they are cloying and sickly sweet. Moderation is key. Here is my take on each one of the scents. I also enlisted some help in the form of a certain B "can I be anonymous?" F, for a man's opinion.

G
My review: One of the freshest smelling scents I've come across. Really fresh and clean. Would be most appropriate for summer. A bit like walking into a beach-themed store. Or the smell of the beach that lingers on your clothes even after you've gone home. Reminded me a bit of Hollister's signature fragrance that is sprayed like clockwork in its stores. Coconut suntan lotion. Citrus zest. makes my mouth water. Want to drink it, possibly as a cocktail. Could be a bit cloying to wear it. Overall, love it.

His review: "It smells like coconut, and pineapple, so I guess it smells like a pina colada. I wouldn't not like it if I smelled it on a girl."

LOVE
My review: didn't like it as much as G. Sickly sweet. Very floral and slightly "oriental" as musky, spicy fragrances are often outdated-ly described in magazines. Reminds me of a body spray I had as a child. Delicate. A bit musky. More appropriate for night time wear.

His review: "It reminds me of perfume. It's the most perfumey, I mean."

LIL ANGEL
My review: Melon and pineapple. Lemon. Super sweet, almost like candy. Banana popsicles. Very intriguing. It makes you want to figure out what the individual notes are. Seems really wearable. Much more mild than the first 2. Second favourite so far.

His review: "it smells really sweet. It's hurting my eyes."

MUSIC
My review: Similar to Davidoff's Cool Water for women. Much cooler notes than the others. More natural, less sweet. Seems like it would be most appropriate for someone active, and not a girly girl. A bit spicy. Smelled this one for a long time to try to get a sense of all the layers of scents, and didn't get sick of it.

His review: "This is the best one I think. It's kind of fruity"

BABY
My review: Quite different from the others. Baby powder. Soap. A grown-up take on Love's Baby Soft. Nothing stand-out though. Best for natural beauties. After smelling it for a while, and wearing it for a few hours, it really grew on me. It's very subtle and clean smelling.

His review: "Uck. Soap. Baby powder. All these perfumes burn my eyes."

Scent is very personal and individualized, so it is tough for me to recommend any certain perfume. If I were to buy any of them I would buy G, Lil Angel, and possibly Baby. Seeing as they're being released as a group, and that the packaging is so cute, they are clearly being marketed as a "collect 'em all" deal.  Priced between $25 and $45, they are affordable, should you be tempted.

dispassionate fashion

I just finished reading a book called 10 Steps to Fashion Freedom, which basically makes you look through your closet and bad shopping habits, and seriously evaluate how your clothing reflects your inner state. I have absolutely gutted my wardrobe, tossing most of my spur-of-the-moment purchases, and things that I just bought without really thinking about WHY I was buying them.

Now my closet and shelves look pretty empty, but very organized and functional. I now look at my closet and only see stuff I love, and that I know functions as a wardrobe—not just a mess of random pieces. The last chapter of the book is called "Shopping." It doesn't encourage you to go out and replace all the stuff you've just gotten rid of, rather to make a list of your clothing priorities (in my case: a suit for job interviews, a black cardigan, a flowy summer dress, and sandals (check). It helps you keep track of what you actually need so that the next time you go shopping, you have a plan.

Kate recently wrote about her vow to give up shopping (a favourite pastime of hers), and it is nice to know that I am not alone in my downscaling. I have always loved clothing, shopping, and hunting for unique pieces, but being broke and looking critically at my own consumption habits has certainly tempered my fashion zeal.

The pressure to look trendy and current, and to compete with the throngs of twentysomethings (with their jobs and disposable income) is something I find difficult to keep up with. With Facebook photo albums becoming like weekly fashion reviews, it seems everyone feels the need to keep a fresh crop of clothing and accessories on hand. It's amazing how many people can't afford to realistically do this, and the lengths they will go to in order to try.

The age old trick of the buy-wear-return of clothing items seems to be happening more and more frequently. People who do this habitually seem to me to be selfish, shallow, and desperate. I put it in the same league as the dine-and-dash (an instance of which I witnessed last night) which really exposes weakness of character. Basically, if you can't afford it, eat at home, or learn to get creative with your existing wardrobe, for god's sake.

Who knows, maybe once I get a job I will change my tune about clothing consumption. But I really think that it's one thing to enjoy fashion and stay current, but quite another to be fixated to the point of obsession, and worst of all to judge those who you feel don't keep up as well as you do.

DIY dollar saving

The combination of boredom and a dwindling budget has led me to take up my old habit of vintage shopping and diy fashion with gusto. Luckily, I've been pretty successful. After two shopping sessions last week, and for about 30 bucks, I found a good start to my spring wardrobe, including: a very high-waisted red wool skirt (see above); a fuschia eyelet cotton skirt; a magenta 50s-style party dress with removable straps; a vintage Parisian couture taffeta corset (which looks gorgeous but constricts my breathing like hell); a beautiful piece of gold costume jewellery; an antique ceramic brooch, and a so-hideous-I-couldn't-resist tote bag (see below) that's perfect for lugging books back and forth from the library.


My penny pinching has also brought out my creative side. I've also started making simple beading necklaces to spice up my going-out wardrobe. Here are some of the pieces I've been working on:





The first one is a gift for my mom, who will be visiting this weekend. I salvaged an old turquoise necklace of hers, updating it with some silver and a more modern clasp. Sorry for ruining the surprise if you read this, mom.

In addition to saving money, it's all about the thrill the treasure hunt. I love browsing through the dress section with friends at Village des Valeurs (Quebec's Value Village), searching for the hottest or ugliest dress to hold up. I love laughing at the improbable things found at the Salvation Army (such as used hair pieces). I love knowing everything I find will pretty much be one-of-a-kind. I love that I paid actual vintage prices instead of marked-up, faux vintage, Urban Outfitter prices. I love thinking about what kind of necklace I will make to match my outfit that night, while sweating my ass off in friday morning spinning class.

Basically, I love anything that distracts me from my school work.

swaparama

I am trying to find room in my very small closet for dozens of new items I recently accrued after hip-checking gaggles of Montreal fashion scavengers.

Allow me to explain: A local clothing shop, Marche MTL held a fundraising event called Swaparama which was described by the store owners as "a clothing swap in which the Montreal Fashionistas and Hipsters explore creative reuse through the recycling of used clothing."

Although I shudder at being grouped in with Hipsters, the event concept was really quite cool and eco-friendly. Essentially, if one made a clothing donation, the cost of the event was $5. This money entitled one to a 20 minute spree of filling bags with any clothing that seems appealing. Despite being mostly on the lookout for costumes for subjects of future photo and painting projects, I did manage to find some very wearable day-to-day stuff as well. The majority of the clothes were nice, good quality items.

It was a lot different that browsing endlessly through Christmas sweaters to find a decent cardigan at Value Village. In fact, I even found a raspberry hued American Apparel dress, a pair of perfectly fitting, stonewashed jeans, a chocolate brown satin blouse, and a cropped biker style jacket. This might have been the farthest I've stretched five bucks in a long time.

news from the world of scientific wizardry

I want an invisibility cloak to escape from deadlines.

cleaning out the attic

Alright alright. It's not that I've had nothing to say, rather that thoughts and ideas have been collecting in my mind like pieces of discarded clothing in a messy room. Or maybe the mess of my room has been too distracting. Hmmm. In no particular order, here's what has been on ma mind.

- Concordia's new gym is huge, clean and glorious. The best part for me is passing the colour-changing wall on the way down the escalator down to the gym.

- In consumer news, high-end fitting rooms will soon be getting a high-tech twist. Soon clothing shoppers will be able to stand in front of fitting room "magic mirrors" and see items of clothing projected onto their bodies via this new screen. They can then email, IM or text images of their favourite items to friends for feedback. Talk about hyper consumption. The Montreal Gazette, to which I have recently subscribed, discusses the increasing speed of fashion consumption.

- Lucky Charms are not magically delicious without milk. They're just plain terrible.

- I've finally come to agree that Grey's Anatomy is a good show. I would love to write a book, show, or play about the idiosyncrasies of my program here at Concordia. It would be a good way of telling all the stories I don't feel I can share online. Ah, the beauty of character names.

- Charest, Dion and Harper have all stood up to ignorant French presidential candidate Segolene Royal who, having never set foot in Quebec, felt she was in a position to proclaim her support for the "liberation" of Quebec. From the Gazette:

"The problem with her declaration is that we are free," Dion said. "We have been free longer than the French because we had responsible government while they were still in the midst of debating empires and revolutions.

Asked if a statement like Royal's can harm federalism in Canada, Dion said: "It hampers her own credibility. We do not interfere in the affairs of a friend country. We do not wish for the dismantling of a friend country. Canada does not wish for the dismantling of France. France certainly does not wish for the dismantling of Canada."

Take that, wannabe FLQ

- I have finally found the solution for my skin. After searching for years for a product that could treat my combination skin properly, I have discovered Lush's Sweet Japanese Girl. It is amazing, and all of the user reviews are true. It exfoliates, unclogs pores, and moisturizes. I kid you not.

Other than that, I want to wish Kate the best of luck in Kumasi, Ghana, where she will join Gill for an adventure, a retreat, and a fabulous opportunity.

"The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination"
-Don Williams Jr.

"Haraka haraka, hamna baraka" (To move too quickly is to miss the blessing)
-East African proverb