Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Beauty

Master the Art of Nude.

By

Have you ever wondered why some women have eyes that “pop”? They’re bright, well-defined and expressive…. and sometimes, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what their secret is. A skilled makeup application? A teeny bit of Botox? Gasp – full blown plastic surgery?

It’s that je ne said quoi, n’est-ce pas?

I won’t keep you in suspense. You see, some women have simply mastered the art of nude.
IMG_3197Introducing L’Oreal Colour Riche La Palette Nude 2. Inspired by makeup designers’ ‘Must Have’ palettes, the La Palette Nude 2 offers everything you need to master the art of nude eye shadow. Ten highly pigmented shades range from light to dark to flatter every skin tone in three shadow finishes: shimmery satin, buttery matte & lustrous sheen. …

Read More

Baby Your Lips with Baby Lips

By

I’ll let y’all in on a little secret: lately, I’ve been obsessed with my lips.

I’ve been obsessed with them because they’re soft, smooth and plump. They’re fuller; more pouty, more kissable (of course, that’s for my husband’s benefit alone). They appear to be – dare I say it – younger. I’ve been babying them, you see.
DSC_1076aAnd I’ll even let you in on my little secret. Available in Canada this month, Maybelline New York introduces Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss ($5.99 CAD). Sick of sticky traditional lip glosses? Leave sticky behind with Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss – 0% sticky and 100% creamy shine. Caring oils and vitamin E moisturize, smooth and soften for 4 hours so lips never feel dry. …

Read More

Pamper Yourself! Tips for At-Home Summer Foot Care

By

NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only. 

Summer is when feet step into the spotlight, after a long winter spent under wraps. Celebrity nail technician Tom Bachik – the talent behind the most beautiful feet to walk the Hollywood red carpet – has teamed up with Dr. Scholl’s to help Canadians get ready for sandal season!

Teaser alert: giveaway coming up!
Giveaway visual (2)When it comes to foot care, Canadian women have room to improve: according to a recent survey, as many as 4 in 10 have never had a pedicure! Meanwhile, almost half (44%) of those who have had a pedicure admit that at least a year has gone by since their last experience. I admit, I count myself in this camp – I simply don’t make the time, when I really know I should.

Everybody’s feet deserve a little TLC. The average person can take as many as 10,000 steps per day, during which the feet absorb two to three times the body’s weight. Trendy high-heeled footwear puts added pressure on the ball of the foot and causes a shift in posture that can be harmful to the joints. The right foot care habits target more than just beauty – they can help prevent common problems like corns, calluses and bunions, as well as more serious concerns.

“Our feet are often neglected and suffer from stress and abuse in our day-to-day routines. Regular footcare not only helps our feet feel better, but helps us feel better overall,” said Tom Bachik. “For me, a complete look – whether at the beach or on the red carpet – involves attention to detail. And nothing completes your style like a beautiful pedicure.” …

Read More

My Morning Selfie

By

If you asked me 28 days ago how I’d feel about a no filter, close-up selfie taken before 8:00am, with minimal makeup and zero photoshopping… I would have rolled my eyes at you.

Of course, that was before Garnier’s NEW Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Night Cream.
image1 (2)From my previous post, Believe in Miracles, I shared my experience with this revolutionary new night cream – the first of its kind to deliver results from your first overnight use, while continually improving the look of your skin over time. You can expect to wake up to smoother, rested-looking skin that will have you believing miracles do happen overnight!

Today, I’m exactly one week shy of my 37th birthday. And I am officially embracing life (fine lines and all). However, I won’t lie – I fight Mother Nature with a gusto normally reserved for fighting world wars and banishing whale poachers. And the newest weapon in my arsenal against aging is Garnier’s Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Night Cream. …

Read More

Believe in Miracles

By

From time to time, I think about my shopping habits. (Usually, after I receive my VISA statement). And I think about what motivates my shopping behaviour; what drives my purchase decisions?

A t-shirt from a trendy clothing company. A designer pair of flats. Four pairs of bohemian-chic earrings from an accessories store that I totally didn’t need, but, SALE.

And I’ve been able to sum up that the single most important motivating factor for me is word of mouth recommendations. Be it a casual mention from a girlfriend, an Instagramed endorsement from a celebrity I adore, or even a texted thumbs up from a close associate – when I hear good things about a product, place or person, I am more likely to take the advice of someone I trust.

And y’all trust me, right?

It all started two weeks ago when Elaine covered the Garnier Miracle Hotel for my blog. Besides indulging at the Trump International Hotel in Toronto and sharing her thoughts on Garnier Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream, she had one bit of advice for me: Try the cream. It’s that good.

So, never one to take a friend’s endorsement lightly, I did. And I LOVE it.
packshot_ENGGarnier’s NEW Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Night Cream is pretty revolutionary – it’s the first night cream of its kind to deliver results from your first overnight use and continues to improve the look of your skin over time. You can expect to wake up to smoother, rested-looking skin that will have you believing miracles do happen overnight!

I began seeing results after the first night of use. Truly! Upon awakening, my skin looked fresher, younger and was intensely hydrated – almost as if it had been wrapped in velvet. The cream contains seven active ingredients that are powerful alone – and transformative together – such as Hyaluronic acid, LHA and Lavender Essential Oil.

(The Miracle Sleeping Night Cream also has a pleasant fragrance, which we all know is right up there on my list of “must-haves”.) …

Read More

Introducing the Newest NIOXIN Campaign… Starring ME!

By

If you’ve ever had a bad hair day, you’ll know that I’ve had them too.

Read: Bad Hair Day? Yeah, Me Too.

After several bouts of thinning, lacklustre hair, I decided to trust my locks to NIOXIN. The NIOXIN approach began in 1987, when the founder experienced thinning hair and began to investigate the idea of treating the scalp with skincare methods. NIOXIN uses advanced technologies to deliver thicker, fuller, denser-looking hair. The three parts of each NIOXIN system – cleanse, optimise and treat – work together to help create an optimal scalp environment.

I’m a believer.

After using the system religiously for six months, my hair is healthier, thicker and fuller looking with uncompromising depth and body. In fact, I am so thrilled with the results, when NIOXIN asked me to partner with them on a Spring ad campaign, I happily signed on to be the face of the brand.

Remember this post when I teased about heading off to Los Angeles for a photo shoot? May I present my official ad campaign for NIOXIN professional hair care products:
nioxin adHave a question about NIOXIN? As me! I’m happy to help. And go on and take the NIOXIN 30-day challenge for thicker, fuller looking hair – and you will be a believer, too.

Can You Fake a Good Night’s Sleep?

By

As a mom of two young boys, I have only one answer… I WISH!

While sleep is a necessity, a good night’s sleep is a luxury ’round here. I mean really, does any mom actually sleep well? I’d like to meet her and shake her hand! (And, maybe, swap families with her.) Hence, when I was invited by the good folks at Garnier to indulge in a good night’s sleep at the Garnier Miracle Hotel, I was immeasurably excited.

Until I realized that I’d be in Orlando, juggling work, family and roller coasters – ergo, likely not getting any sleep at all.

So I did the next best thing – I bestowed the gift of a good night’s sleep to Elaine Atkins of Toronto Beauty Reviews, and asked her to report back on her experience at this exclusive, widely coveted event. Take it away Elaine!
B9r7RRgCEAIj9xpAre you always chasing a good night’s sleep? As we age and lead busier and busier lives (think work, social obligations, kids, and even household chores) we lose a little bit of quality sleep with each new task we take on.

I was invited to check into the Garnier Miracle Hotel to help me get that rest that I so desperately needed. So, where is this mysterious Garnier Miracle Hotel, you ask? It’s none other than the Trump International Hotel in Toronto, decked out by the Garnier Canada team. …

Read More

Bang On!

By

It’s no secret that I like changing things up, especially when it comes to my hairstyles. Long… short… dark… light… curly… straight… you name it, I’ve done it. Several times. In the past year.

However, if there’s one look I’ve yet to master, it’s bangs. You see, I’ve been told I have “the face” for bangs; I just normally make the same mistake over and over again… cutting my bangs in the summer. When there’s humidity.

Hint: humidity + bangs = no bueno.

Therefore, I decided that for once, I was going to make a smart decision about when to chop my locks. Ah, cold, dry winter air – you’re horrible for skin, but heavenly for bangs!
IMG_2047 (2)Straight, well-behaved bangs are literally all I want in life, besides fresh air, clean water and chocolate bars. And thick, long bangs are a bold statement! They say: “I’m so confident in my appearance you only need to see 66% percent of my face to get the gist of how amazing I am.”

Of course, they also say: “Cheaper than Botox.” …

Read More

See You Later, Alligator

By

To say I have dry skin is an understatement.

It occurred to me years ago that during winter, the skin on my arms and legs is chalky white, while my remaining epidermis is a tanned, olive hue. So what gives?

I scratch my skin until it resembles a flour bin. And, my husband has dubbed my dermal problem Alligator Skin Syndrome (ASS). Lovely, right?

Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance Free LotionI know, I know, I KNOW there’s an easy fix – it’s the “L” word. Lotion.

And I have found relief. My go-to remedy – when I force myself to use it – is Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion. It revives extra-dry skin with extra-soothing moisture, and contains a triple oat formula (renowned for itch) and shea butter to help soothe winter-wrecked skin. Best of all, it’s 100% fragrance free, so my sensitive skin gets the 24-hour relief it deserves.

Until the scratch – flake – lotion Lena!! – ahhh cycle begins all over again.

Do you suffer from Alligator Skin Syndrome? Shoppers Drug Mart has you covered. You’ll find a wide selection of new skin care products to keep you and your family’s skin healthy this winter – plus, you can earn Shoppers Optimum Points on participating products.

(That’s what I like to call a Skin-Win! See what I did there?)

Of course, finding the right lotion can be daunting, especially with so many brands to choose from. So how do you find the perfect match for your winter-wrecked skin? Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Experts offer in-store complimentary skin care consultations using the beautyRx tool. The Skin Analysis consists of:

1. Moisture Checker – measures you skins hydration levels
2. Video Microscope – magnifies your skin’s surface by 30 times to help diagnose your skin type

Based on your readings, the Beauty Expert will recommend skin care products accordingly. In addition to Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion, I’ve also dabbled in Jergens Vitamin E Replenishing Moisturizer, Nivea Extra Nourishing Body Milk, and Vaseline Total Moisture Dry Skin Lotion – all with great results. …

Read More

The Not-So-Viral Picture You Loved

By

There are so many buzzwords in social media today: trending, clickability, engagement, advertainment… I could go on. And on.

But the single most overused buzzword? Viral. As in, “My Facebook post went viral! It was liked and shared a gazillion times.”

Amazing! And having a “viral” post or picture is certainly a measurement of success – one that should be both applauded and respected. (Unless you’re spamming people with voting requests, “earn $100/hour” ads or funny animal pictures. Then you’re not a viral success; you’re a douche.)

Unfortunately, I’ve never experienced the high of having a viral post or image, but I have received amazing feedback and engagement from a few posts in particular. It’s a nice feeling! Of course, when I published the following picture last Thursday, clearly I had no idea it would be received so well…

It’s just a photo of me and the Director of Menu Management at McDonald’s Canada, Anne Parks – from the post They Came. They Tasted. They Savoured the Flavour. I didn’t think much about it until over the course of the next few days, my inbox was filled with questions about my hair, beauty routine, makeup and wardrobe. Er… I’m flattered, friends!

And while I would normally just respond to e-mails individually, I thought this was a great way to share the “secrets” of my beauty routine. (Prepare to be underwhelmed. Seriously – I’m pretty much no-frills and no-fuss.) Below is a collection of questions I received stemming from the photo I posted on Thursday – except the first, which I received a few weeks ago and just had to include!

Hi Gorgeous – Do you do botox?!? Your skin is flawless. Secret safe with me if its a yes – please tell me where you go! xo – R

LOL! I wish I was interesting enough to have a reason to botox, but alas, the kindergarten carpool in sweatpants does not necessitate a smooth and wrinkle-free forehead. I am, however, blessed with good genes – and I do use a “miracle” cream called Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum. It is seriously the best thing you can ever put on a problem area; just a few dabs on fine lines and they disappear like magic.

Since I only use it from time to time (usually for big events), I’ve had the same bottle for almost three years! A little goes a looong way.

Love your orange dress! Where did you get it? – A

It’s my “little orange dress” from the Old Navy Fall/Winter 2013 collection. A steal at under $30; it originally came paired with a black belt, but I swapped it for a pink belt to add a punch of fun colour!…

Read More

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil

By

 

I LOVE THIS EYELINER!

It’s a “soft” kohl, which means ~

1) It goes on smoothly, almost like a liquid
2) There’s no tugging or faded lines
3) The colour is INTENSE

And here’s the kicker… it’s a pencil! That’s right ladies, the boldness of a liquid liner with the convenience of a pencil. Absolutely heavenly for those who have a less-than-steady hand while applying liquid lines.

The product also lasts all day long with NO FADING whatsoever. Did I mention I LOVE this eyeliner?

I stumbled across these gems while waiting for a prescription at Shoppers Drug Mart. They’re retailing them for $6.99 which is a steal in itself. I normally wouldn’t have even thought of Rimmel, but the cosmetician looked fab and I asked her what she was using. Surprise!

Try it! You’ll love it!