Photography by Katie Ennis
We may get a lot of useless stuff in this office, but we can always count on Chanel to deliver on gasp-inducing promotional items. This cloth messenger bag adorned with buttons (as well as a packet of yet more buttons) arrived this morning as part of the press kit for Chanel’s new lipstick, Rouge Coco, which launches in March. Suffice to say, many staffers were très jalouse when they laid eyes on these.
The first time I interviewed makeup artist Dick Page was in 2004. I had sent emails to him asking for a phone interview and assumed they had just gone into a black hole where requests from Canadian editors went to die. But while working late one night, my phone rang. When I answered, the voice on the other end announced, “Hi Lesa, it’s Dick Page” and I managed to not fall out of my chair. Hearing him describe makeup inspirations and applications was unlike anything I’d ever encountered; it was poetic. I even put my head down on my desk afterwards, the experience was so enthralling. (I’m a dork. So be it).
A few weeks ago at New York Fashion Week, I finally came face to face with the man. Read the rest of this entry »
Beauty babes ’round town have been abuzz since Shoppers Drug Mart’s upscale cosmetic mecca Murale finally landed in Toronto (we’ve had to wait patiently as locations opened in Ottawa and Montreal first) the first week of September at the Shops at Don Mills. Upon entering the store at the media event, I was instantly drawn like a moth to a flame to the Nars display where a nail polish by the name of “M. Butterfly” was calling my name…. Read the rest of this entry »
While I would say I’ve dipped my toe—okay, it’s more like I’m sitting in up to my waist—in the green beauty pool, I’ve yet to fully submerge. There are still some questionable things that I’m in denial about and continue to use. But when it comes to products I use on my two-year-old daughter, I run a much tighter ship. These are a few of my new and old favourites. Read the rest of this entry »
Photography by Setareh Sarmadi
Because so many of her red carpet appearances of late have been accompanied by smooth and pretty hair, it was nice to see Angelina Jolie rock some serious sexy bed head at the recent Inglourious Basterds premiere in L.A. So sexy that Lainey theorized its casualness was due to the fact that she and Brad were just too busy er, fornicating, for her to bother styling it. While it seems indisputable—especially if childcare was on site—that the two went at it before the event, at some point, the master of dishevelment himself, David Babaii, showed up, products in tow. Read the rest of this entry »
Photography by Setareh Sarmadi
I’m a leg waxer. Shaving just isn’t worth the time when stubble is there to greet you within 24 hours. So I get my kit, park myself in front of the tube and start ripping away. But as my green awareness continues to increase exponentially, so does my guilt over tossing the used strips (only after I’ve carefully examined how many hairs with bulb intact I’ve harvested, of course—it’s a sick, satisfying pleasure I need to indulge) knowing they will probably still exist long after hair removal ceases to be an issue for me. As I yanked more follicular sprigs from my calf not long ago, I wondered when an eco-friendly option would present itself.
Read the rest of this entry »
Toronto’s The 10 Spot (749 Queen St. W., 416-915-1010, 10spot.ca) has carved out a nice little niche for itself. When it first opened in 2006, it was one of many new nail bars spreading like wildfire across the city. But it was instantly likeable for its totally cheeky and hilarious attitude, and in the way it branded itself as the anti-spa, positioned way more as a place to congregate with your chicks rather than unwind and tune out the world.
Now, owner Kristen Gale has removed the relaxation/isolation component from facials with the addition of a Facial Bar, Read the rest of this entry »
Hairstylist David Babaii is a man of his word. Even though he called me two hours late, I wasn’t ruffled in the least. In fact, I was amazed he called at all, what with all his jetsetting to tend to the coifs of Kate Hudson, Angelina Jolie (he did her hair for the Oscars), Gwyneth Paltrow and others. But he apologizes nonetheless, explaining that he’s on set with Scarlett Johansson and has the “worst cell reception” but that it’s still no excuse. Such courtesy and respect for an editor—no wonder the A-listers keep him around. Oh right, lest we forget the amazing manes he crafts, especially for Kate, who I assume is his number one girl—they created a hair line, David Babaii for Wildaid together, after all.
Photography by Yulanda Yee
In this job you get your fair share of beauty “tips and tricks” thrown your way. After a few years, you become less interested—not only have you heard them all before, they all start to seem obvious: Heat helps hair treatments penetrate better! Apply lotion when skin is still moist! Put on deodorant after a shower!
Beauty editor Lesa Hannah, now in video form! From rich shea butter to shimmery gloss, check out Lesa’s picks for the best organic balms.
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