Snaps from Toronto part 1 (photo heavy)

virtual gallery board cn tower

Last week I spent a couple nights in Toronto to attend the VIP reception for the opening of Roses By…a gallery of work by 20 world-renowned photographers which featured their interpretation of the rose. I got invited because I participated in Bloggers for a Rose, the Lancôme Virtual Gallery, which featured 20 bloggers from across Canada and their interpretation of the rose (see my full post on it here).

I was in the T-Dot from Thursday to Saturday with a friend, and considering we were only there for three days, we jam-packed our trip full of stuff. The day we got there, we checked out Viktor & Rolf Dolls at the Royal Ontario Museum, then stopped by Blo Blow Dry Bar to get blowouts for the big event that night.  A couple hours later, we made our way to the VIP reception for Roses By…, which was at First Canada Place, and had Daria Werbowy (Lancome spokesmodel), Canadian Bachelor Brad Smith and his fiancee Bianka, Canada’s Next Top Model judge Stacey McKenzie, Elmer Olsen from Elmer Olsen Modelling Agency, Fashion Television, eTalk, and so many others.

The next day, we headed to the MMVA #Turnitup Beauty Bar then over to the L’Oreal Paris nail bar at the TIFF Bell Lightbox for manicures, and back to David Pecaut Square to view the virtual gallery.  On Saturday, our last day there, we shopped for a bit at the Toronto Eaton Centre, then made our way over to the MMVA Soundcheck where we got a backstage tour of the building and got to see the sets of MTV Canada, MuchMusic, eTalk, and more, as well as the MMVA Red Carpet and an up-close performance of Psy and his dancers rehearsing the finale from the MMVAs.  We ended up the trip by stopping at a few shops on Queen Street West, a visit to the Nivea HAUS, and then making our way all the back to Winnipeg.

Considering we were only there for 72 hours, we did a ton of stuff, so much that we literally could not feel our feet by the end of the trip (and a lot throughout). Toronto was amazing and it’s a trip I will never forget. I met so many wonderful people and I owe a huge thanks to the crew at L’Oreal Professional, Crowd Optic and Lancôme, especially Ekaterina, Hugo from L’Oreal Paris Canada, and Arianne from The Glitter Geek.

Enjoy the photos!

dolls one doll Blo sign Blow outs disco ball L'oreal professional tent luminato stage

Luminato Hub at David Pecaut Square

Luminato Hub at David Pecaut Square

Virtual gallery stand side IMG_2189 Virtual gallery Looking at virtual gallery Here are some images taken with my iPhone as well.

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Jess and I on the pink carpet at the Roses By... VIP reception.

Jess and I on the pink carpet at the Roses By… VIP reception.

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Just a few of the photos from the Roses By… exhibit at First Canada Place.

Daria Werbowy and I.

Daria Werbowy and I.

 

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Lora Spiga (Lancome Canada's official makeup artist- she was so nice!) and I.

Lora Spiga (Lancome Canada’s official makeup artist- she was so nice!) and I.

Dress - Rachel by Rachel Roy; clutch - Chanel Timeless WOC; shoes- Christian Louboutin Decollete; bangles - Forever 21

Dress – Rachel by Rachel Roy; clutch – Chanel Timeless WOC; shoes- Christian Louboutin Decollete; bangles – Forever 21

Stolen from Instagram.

Getting our nails done at the L’Oreal Paris Nail Bar.  Thanks Hugo for the gifts and for letting us skip the line :). Stolen from @eeenricaaa’s Instagram.

 

With Jessica from Beautezine.  We ran into her all three days we were in Toronto, she's so nice!

With Jessica from Beautezine. We ran into her all three days we were in Toronto, she’s so nice!

Check back Friday for shots from the MMVA Soundcheck and #Turnitup Beauty Bar!

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Topbox June 2013 regular box

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Topbox has hit it out of the ballpark for June.

This was the first month where I didn’t spoil the surprise and look up other blogs prior to receiving mine.  There were a few different Prive boxes (including one from Estee Lauder) but I chose to go with the regular box because none of the others looked that appealing, and am I ever glad I did.

This month’s box included four makeup products (!), possibly a first for Topbox.  After months of complaints on their Facebook page from subscribers, there wasn’t a single lotion sample or perfume sample in sight (at least not in my box, I’m not sure what the other regular boxes contained).

Here’s what I got:

  • Belvada Cosmetics mini eyelash curler – full size, $5.99
  • Benefit Cosmetics Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Gloss – 6.5 ml (full size, 15 ml, retails for $19)
  • Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Fairy Lashes mascara – full size, $24
  • Pari Beauty Colour Cubes – two stack, five stack retails for $30, eight stack for $35
Pari Cosmetics Colour Cubes in #12 and #17.

Pari Cosmetics Colour Cubes in #12 and #17.

lipgloss

I am so happy with the products in this month’s Topbox.  Not only are they all makeup, but the colours and generosity of the items are great.  A full-size mascara, a Benefit lipgloss, and two gorgeous pigments (look at those colours!), I can fully say that I am so satisfied with this month’s box.

What did you get in your June Topbox?

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How to wear pastel-coloured makeup + exciting news!

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Hello from Toronto!

A friend and I are in the Canadian equivalent of the Big Apple to check out the 20 Bloggers for a Rose Virtual Gallery at the Luminato Festival of which I am a part of.

So I have some exciting news to share, I have recently joined FASHION magazine’s Beauty Panel. The panel is an online feature at fashionmagazine.com where every Thursday beauty bloggers from across the country answer a weekly question and share their personal tips and tricks.

This week’s question was how to wear pastel-coloured makeup. Blue eyeshadow was on-trend for spring and summer and now even more bright, retro-inspired colours are making the beauty rounds. We had to create a look that incorporates bright colour, whether it’s for eyes, cheeks, or nails, and how to make the colour work for your complexion to the look is more current and not totally ’80s.

blue liner

The first thing I thought of is one of my favourite ways to wear blue eyeliner. Not just any blue, but bright blue (the louder the better). An easy way to do this is by popping it along your waterline, but I personally love drawing it on over a black cat eye. By doing this technique, the colour pops even more, and is such an eye-catching way to have people doing double-takes every time you blink.

Products used copy

For this particular look I used Rimmel London ScandalEyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in black, Rimmel London ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in Tempting Turquoise, Benefit They’re Real! mascara, and MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study.

I am so excited to join the beauty panel because for those who don’t know, I have a journalism background, and aside from working in the print media field by day, I am also a freelance writer on the side, so just being associated with FASHION is a huge honour.

Have a great weekend!

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