Writing about beauty, style, fashion, and all related things, has exposed me to so many wonderful products, designs, shops, stores, and more, that sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming.  Every once in awhile, though, it helps to stop and take a few minutes to really appreciate the stand outs of the group.
Here are just of my favorite (beauty and style) things:

Clarisonic – Since I started using this a little over a year ago, I think my skin has noticeable improvement.
Pink – Not just because it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month either!  Pink has always been a color that I’ve …read more

I wish we lived in a world where I didn’t need to wear a pink ribbon, in October or any time at all.  A world where breast cancer was nearly non-existent, and if it did occur, involved treatment as easy as treating measles or chicken pox.  Until that happens, I hope you’ll join with me in wearing pink to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month during October.
Here are some things you can do:
GET A MAMMOGRAM.  Yes, I’m shouting that!  Since early detection is key, this is a step that every single one of us can take today.  Be pro-active in …read more

I’m an allergy sufferer.  As summer turns into fall, the weather changes and the rain comes,  become a sneezing, sniffling, eye-watering mess.  It’s not attractive!  And when there’s so many great fall clothes dying to come out of my closet, it’s hard to think about being stylish when I can barely crawl out of bed.
Now that the fall allergy season is upon me, I offer these suggestions to fellow sufferers:
Hot showers.  There’s nothing like steam to loosen up all the crud that’s clogging up your sinuses.  I’ve occasionally hit the steam room, but sometimes if I’m too stuffed up, …read more

I love my gadgets!  And that goes for beauty gadgets, too.  While I don’t have the budget to give all of these a try, I’ve been taking a look to see which need to be worked into my beauty budget: 
Travel Clarisonic – I have one for home (Clarisonic review is here), but would love one for the road as well.  This is a perfect to-go size, with a plug-in attachment rather than the “docking station” of the at home version.  All the necessary goodies kept attractively (and safely) packaged in a white mesh travel bag.  This will be a …read more

September is Hunger Awareness Month, one of the many specially proclaimed months, weeks, days throughout the course of the year.  It’s also the kind of cause that I think every one of us can get behind.  It’s a cause that doesn’t ask you to take sides (are you for hunger or against it?!), has real sufferers with faces and stories, and transcends our religious and socio-economic differences.
I’m thankful that I have food to sustain and nourish me, as well as having it as a social part of my life.  I’ll be thinking a little bit more about the face of …read more

There’s nothing much that I like better than a nice visit to the spa. The atmosphere, the treatments, the relaxation, the pampering, the decadent feel of taking time just for myself. In my early days of visiting a spa, I neglected some of the little details that could have made a great experience even better. Not so anymore!
Here are a few tips that can make your spa visit a wonderful experience:
Arrive early. I think at least half an hour is best. There will be some paperwork to fill out, you’ll want to get undressed and into a robe, and …read more

Much of the country is experiencing sweltering weather, and it seems that short of staying in an fiercely air conditioned building, and NEVER leaving, you’re going to have to find a way to deal with the heat.  Here are some suggestions to help you manage:

Water.  And more water.  And more water still.  Keeping yourself hydrated will help make you feel and look better, but perhaps more importantly, it will help stave off dehydration and sunstroke.  Add a squeeze of lemon or lime if you need a little flavor.
Wear a hat.  It may seem counterintuitive to have something glomming onto your …read more

It’s been a weird summer up here in Toronto. Chilly, then humid – rainy, then perfectly sunny. Sometimes it can be hard to know what the day will bring, so you have to be prepared for it all. Here’s what I’m packing in my purse (yep, you guessed it – an oversize one!) on a daily basis.
Sunglasses – As soon as things get bright out, it’s best to shield those peepers with some UV protection. I prefer aviators, stored in a sturdy sunglasses case.
Sunscreen – Even when the weather is deceivingly cool, the sun could be burning your skin. So …read more

July is National Ice Cream month, and with warm weather, Independence Day celebrations, lots of picnics and other outdoor events, it would be tempting to enjoy ice cream all month long.  And the darn ice cream truck that drives through the neighborhood, with its trilling lilt of music, tries to tempt as well.
Of course, we all know what eating ice cream all month long would do our swimsuit fit, so we’re going to have to choose our ice cream moments with care.
You don’t have to give up refreshing treats during the summertime, though.  Enjoy those yummy, but high calorie …read more

For the last few months I’ve been able to get away with walking to work and haven’t had much to think about. That all changed this week because all of a sudden it’s hot, muggy, and I somehow still have to look presentable when I arrive. I may still look a little flushed when I first arrive, but that’s not so bad – and a brisk thirty minute walk is well worth it.
Here’s what I can’t go without -
Alarm Clock
What a difference an hour makes when you’re exerting yourself outside…just by leaving a bit earlier, the air isn’t quite as …read more