A Nose By Any Other Name

4 / 14 / 132 / 10 / 14

Could a nose by any other name smell as sweet? My nose still smells sweet scents, so I’m thankful for that.But I’m still dealing with the exciting daily changes of my maturing skin graft, after my brilliant surgeon disposed of the unwanted and univited basal cell carcinoma lurking in my nose. My camera doesn’t pick up all the nitty gritty, but there is major redness, some new scar tissue that scares me (but supposedly if I keep massaging the area it will not be too bad) and a few dents, lumps and bumps. One day I’ll post the Entire Ordeal, but I haven’t quite gotten to it yet. Meanwhile, The Great Coverup begins: my official experiment with primers, concealers, foundations and powder.

I started with L’Oreal’s True Match Super-blendable Crayon Concealer, and I have to say, I don’t think it’s fair to judge a coverup based on my nose situation. I probably should be turning to some medical-grade scar hider. But, let’s be real here, I prefer to experiment with fashion brands. They’re so much more fun. And I will judge, because, don’t we all?

The crayon concealer was a little too dry for my skin. Since I have so many weird little holes to fill in right now, I need something that is more liquid. However, it would be a handy concealer to tote in your purse, if you have skin that is more oily. And I only tried it on the skin from behind my ear that is now on my nose. I’ll give it a chance next time I have a pimple. Cuz guess what, kiddies? They never stop.True Match foundation glides on easy and was a great match for my skin. L’Oreal has a huge line so that everyone can find their color. I used N2, Classic Ivory, to tone down the natural pinkness around my nose area, so that a blob of coverup wouldn’t be more obtrusive. If you check back to my initial experimentation in Banff, you’ll see I wasn’t doing so well with that. So, the foundation is key and blend is the most important action. On the whole, though, I am blessed with nice skin, even if it is kind of pink, so for daily wear, I don’t use it on my entire face. However, if it ever stops snowing in Calgary, I may go for little more, considering the SPF 17 these bottles are packing. And since this foundation comes complete with vitamins B&E, using more would be more healthy wouldn’t it?In the name of distraction, I also tried these fab new blushes from L’Oreal: Visible Lift Color Blush, with zero talc and zero wax. I went with the one on the left tonight. The blushes have a slight gold shimmer in them, and the powder almost feels a little liquidy. Yet they go on evenly and have great staying power. Apparently it’s because of the Tourmaline. Touted as one of nature’s most naturally energizing minerals, it’s suposed to add radiance and luminosity to aging skin. Which I totally do not need because I will never age. Just like Andie MacDowell, who they are using for their blush campaign. Love her. And, oh, there’s this river in Egypt…Here’s the finished look. I probably should have blended the foundation a little further up my nose between my eyes – fyi that little red mark has nothing to do with the big C. It’s probably just cuz I’m thinking too hard. Or not enough.

On the rest of my face: L’Oreal Rose Gold Lift blush, True Match foundation, True Match crayon concealer, Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara, Sephora 471C lipstick (doesn’t seem to have a name but it’s their house brand) and Sonia Kashuk nude spice gloss on the lips. I felt so good I actually Went Out Into Public. Deets on the delicious eats I had here.

The Earth Needs More Big Boxes

4 / 11 / 13

TARGET UPDATE: The Earth Needs More Big Boxes

Besides my Pavlovian response to anything Gucci and my inner compass dialed to LV, I also have an obsession with Target. My addiction to the chic big box store was cemented with regular stops during my Cleveland, Ohio days. I wonder if it will fuel the same fire once it’s in Canada?

Maybe that fire will be more like lava star power spewing from a style volcano. Target Toronto had Blake Lively and Sarah Jessica Parker out for a red carpet opening last month. But they must be saving the best for the west. Right?

Target is almost upon us, here in the wild rose province. I still can’t wrangle exact dates out of them, but they’re timing their Alberta ribbon cuttings with Earth Month. Last time I checked, it was just Earth Day on April 22, but if Target wants to extend our celebration of the planet, I am all for it. Look for the bull’s-eye coming in May to malls near you:

Calgary: Chinook Centre, Forest Lawn Shopping Centre, Market Mall, Shoppes at Shawnessy

Edmonton: Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre, Mill Woods Town Centre, West Edmonton Mall

Grande Prairie: Prairie Mall

Red Deer: Bower Place

Sherwood Park: Sherwood Park Mall

St. Albert: St. Albert Centre

Banff Bites

4 / 3 / 134 / 10 / 13

The mountains bring out the carnivore in me. It starts with the clothes. Suede boots, made in Italy. I paid a lot of money for them at an intriguing little boutique in San Francisco, but I can’t even brag about them because they have no designer name… anywhere. Who does that? However, I remember the shop’s name. Paolo Shoes in Hayes Valley. Check it out next time you’re there. Suede handbag, Gucci. Dress, Max Studio. Coat, Armani Exchange. Shearling hat, A Vintage Affair in Calgary. Because a hat like this makes sense when you’re surrounded by snow. You can’t hear my grumbling tummy, but I’m smiling through the hunger pangs. Luckily downtown Banff has a number of incredible restaurants less than a five minute drive from the Juniper Hotel.So many places in Banff are all about using natural recovered local materials, like the Maple Leaf Grille. I dig this wall.More than that, I dig their Game Platter. With a selection of bison, elk, beef and duck sausage and charcuterie, it’s a carnivore’s cult list. There might have been some bunny in there too. With local cheeses and tomatoes thrown in, I was pretty much in edible heaven while eating this. Which is good, because tomorrow I’ll need the calories. Come back manana for a little boarding, Banff style.

Mid Century Mecca

3 / 23 / 133 / 23 / 13

If you’re on the hunt for Mid Century Modern furniture or art, the mecca must be Palm Springs. The fifties Hollywood getaway of the Sinatra set is now the departure lounge for that big stage in the sky, which means the torch of fine Scandinavian design is passed along daily in estate sales and vintage shops. However, if the recent mad upsurge in airline prices is keeping you away from Callie this winter (in Calgary the seasons pay no heed to the calendar) you can make this pilgrimage closer to home.Mid Century Dweller in Inglewood is chock full of sleek Nordic timber…… from super groovy lamps to teak everything. You never know when you might need some Danish rosewood speakers for the ol’ hi fi.In the tradition of quirky furniture shops, the hours are a little finicky. Mid Century Dweller is only open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to five. But there’s free parking in the back and – bonus of the Blue Besos kind – the owner speaks Spanish.

Attention Tmart Shoppers

3 / 20 / 132 / 8 / 16

Once you go Mac you never go back. Ever since my ruby red iMac, I’ve been hooked. The love affair continued with my iBook, my pre-Intel Inside G5, my MacBook and my iPhone. But the $30+ charge for a teensy little plastic cell phone case or bumper? Not so much. And not so much so much that I just said not so much, an expression I loathe. Yes, strong words for a colloquialism but I feel strongly about it. Where was I? Aah yes.

My iPhone bumper was getting old. But I postponed a new purchase, thinking there had to be another option. Then a tipsy talk with a girl in a restaurant restroom (dontcha love those) led to a Tmart endorsement. So I ordered. Then my bumper broke. I got worried – my little phone seemed so naked without some type of protection. The order was taking weeks. Shipping from the US and all. I wondered if I should break down from my Apple Store bumper boycott and cough up serious cash money for a new one. But I held out. Then this happened: Bummer. Guess what arrived the next day?I can’t blame Tmart for the cross-border penalty of residing in Canada. Especially not rhinestone-bedazzled-pink-for-$3.81 I can’t! But where were the other two I ordered? For $3.13 and $5.98 (splurged on that one) I was willing to be patient.Turns out they were in Hong Kong! I don’t know if Tmart made a profit on this sale, but they definitely made a devoted customer.At these prices it doesn’t matter if I lose a few sparkly things to purse trauma, but apparently Tmart doesn’t agree: Glue and extra rhinestones! Love it! Try it out for yourself: Tmart.com. Just plan for a delay if you’re a true north strong and free type.

Target Practice

3 / 11 / 133 / 12 / 13

Even with three pilot stores finally open in Ontario, Target is still being coy. They refuse to give the exact dates for the rest of their much-anticipated 124 store openings across Canada. They have to be setting some type of retail record with their massive big box rollout. Canucks can thank Zellers for the cheap real estate that brought the bullseye view north of the 49th parallel. I don’t think anyone is lamenting the loss of Club Zed.

Meanwhile, the American retailer is finally fulfilling the destiny of its red and white logo. Not only is Target (pronounced the French way, “tahr-jhay,” even in the USA) coming to Canada, the products we love south of the border are coming here too.Sonia Kashuk was the supermodel’s go-to makeup artist in the eighties and nineties, culminating in her Cindy Crawford book collaboration, Basic Face. Then Target scooped her up and made SK a household name in 1999. When other celeb makeup artists were becoming prestige brands, she was the first make-up artist to take luxury quality to the masses in an affordable package. High-end brushes were one of her main focuses and still are today. Pictured here is one of her latest: the limited edition Kabuki Brush along with a back-from-the-beach bronzer.Of course, being a Sonia Kashuk compact, it has a handy hidden compartment that opens up underneath the bronzer to reveal…… a mirror! A vital component for any chica.Pixi is another great product we can look forward to seeing on store shelves here in Canada. The primer gets rave reviews as a pore reducer before makeup application. And the provocatively named Succulent Lip Twin continues in the Target tradition of multi-purpose function.Not only is it a lipstick, the moisturizing creme can be used for cheeks as well. Meanwhile, in the tube, multi-purpose lip balm to soothe and heal dry lips. It will come in handy in our desert air in Alberta!We’ll also be seeing Target’s in-house everyday essential brand called Up & Up, spanning more than 40 categories including household, healthcare, beauty, baby and personal care. Seen here – makeup removal wipes so you can take it all off… before you put it all back on again.

Spring Trends Now Trending

3 / 8 / 133 / 9 / 13

A flash of daffodil down the Holts-hued pink carpet signaled that Spring Trends were trending at Calgary’s Holt Renfrew.By all means, do the white thing, but break it up with some green – or should I say absinthe, Tom Pecheux? Conveniently coordinated with an audience member’s pashmina.In between the runway sashaying, mavens, moguls (ok, only one… more on him later) and mannequins paid rapt attention to Lisa Tant’s powerpoint presentation of springalicious trends: Modern Geometry, Print Remix, In The Clear and What’s White Now. I’m guessing the mannequin is remixing a print. Like a DJ! Pay close attention to this outfit, because you’ll see it again on someone else. Then you can play Who Wore It Better, although perhaps the rules are different when one of the models isn’t human.As we admire What’s White Now, I have a confession to make. My focus was fuzzy on a lot of these shots. Cranky camera. I could wax rhapsodic about the ethereal inspiration of these dreamlike images, but… it’s not really what I was striving for. In the meantime, check out everyone’s footwear.Not only did all of these women brave the second blizzard of the week to learn Lisa’s trend lesson, they did it in immaculately well-heeled style. Sans salt and snow. Credit must go to the covered valet parking out front.Here he is! The one male specimen in attendance who wasn’t a fashion journalist or HR employee. Andrew Kondi, President of Cowtown Capital, is man enough to handle women’s spring trends. And smart enough to keep the guardian of winter trends close by. To his left is Cheryl Janisch, fashion designer and creative director of Frost Sportiva, secure in the knowledge that the fashion forecast in Alberta includes lots of snow.The hostess of the evening, Lisa Tant, Vice-President, Fashion Editor at Holt Renfrew with Vincent Law, fashion blogger.Shout-out to Rav, my favorite Holts hustler. We met when he sidled up to me as I was eyeing a pair of Prada suede OTK boots and whispered, “Silent sale.” Props. No event would be complete without the swag bags. In this case, parked perfectly by the escalator leading out of spring trends and back into winter. Thanks Holts!

Spring Trend Teaser

3 / 7 / 13

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night— oh, maybe I’m trying too hard with this one. Because first of all, we’re not US Postal Carriers. And second, there wasn’t any rain or heat going on last night, although the evening may have been a little gloomy. But mostly it was Just A Lot Of Snow, as Calgary was walloped with the second snowstorm in 4 days. But that didn’t stop the fashion faithful from flocking to Lisa Tant’s “Spring 2013 Trends” at Holt Renfrew.Sleeveless dresses make for sleepless nights, dreaming about midsummer. Check back tomorrow for more models strutting down the pink carpet and select soiree moments. Required reading.

Blogger’s Eye View

3 / 5 / 133 / 5 / 13

Us bloggers spend a lot of time staring at the keyboard — might as well keep the view fresh! Will Heavy Petals withstand Heavy Typing?

My nails are wearing Coral Cult and Absinthe from Heavy Petals, Estee Lauder’s newest nail lacquer line. These delectable shades derive from the left brain of Creative Makeup Director, Tom Pecheux.

Tom says he was inspired by the palette of pastels that fill Paris in the spring: “I thought of amazing bouquets from the flower markets, the pretty pastels of children’s carousels and the pops of color from macaroons.”

What? Not my laptop in Calgary, Tom? Oh well, different keystrokes for different fashion folks. I want to try that absinthe-flavored macaroon, by the way. Because I’m assuming you didn’t source that color at the carousel.

Limited edition – get it at Holt Renfrew now while you still can. You can also find Heavy Petal hues at The Bay and Sears. No hating on the self-manicure please. It’s not part of my personal skill set.Mmmm, Cult Coral. The alliteration alone whets my whistle. And my nails are still chip-free after fervent fashion tapping.

Think Spring

3 / 3 / 133 / 4 / 13

The snowstorm in Calgary today is all my fault.Yesterday I packed away my winter clothes. I figured the first weekend in March was a good time to clear space in my non walk-in for flimsy spring things. Seems reasonable, right? Wrong! This is Calgary, where it snows almost every month of the year. Even in July, after weeks of tornado-inducing heat, there’ll still be that one day when snow comes down in a big way. Like today. The snow’s been flying sideways since morning. We’ll probably get close to a foot. So… sorry about that, everybody.However, Aerin Lauder’s new collection will inspire you to think spring. Or at least help you look good while you dig out.“Garden in Bloom” is one of Aerin’s spring style palettes, a neutral collection of soft, nearly nude shades for a healthy, fresh glow. The purse packable includes three eyeshadows in Iris, Lily and Dahlia, with Nectar blush.Even more appropriate, considering our current lack of sunshine: Floral Illuminating Powder. Six soft pastels swirl into one shade that brightens the complexion with subtle radiance. Because I think we’re all looking a little pale in Cowtown right about now.Please note, NO MAKEUP WAS HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS PHOTO SHOOT (with apologies to the American Humane Association). Even after exposure to the Blizzard of 2013, it all applies flawlessly and still retains Aerin’s signature rose scent.