eye cream

It's cold enough outside now that I don't mind talking about the holidays - it sure is starting to feel like winter!  Which is good because a line I adore, La Mer has introduced their holiday offerings - love them !

The Lip Balm - $65 - goes glam for the holidays with a classy silver toned cap.  Fortified with a potent concentration of La Mer's original Miracle Broth, this balm will soften roughness on contact, relieve discomfort and help seriously dry lips.  Perfect for the lip balm addict on your shopping list!
The Essential Body Collection - $340 - La Mer's signature body treatments all together in one happy place:  The Body Refiner - 200ml, The Body Crème - 200ml, The Hand Treatment - 30ml, and The Lip Balm - 9g Anyone (including yourself) would be thrilled to receive this!
The Luxury Essentials - $505 - For someone you really like (like yourself), all the essentials of life in one place: Crème de la Mer - 30ml, The Eye Concentrate - 15ml and The Regenerating Serum - 9ml
The Hand Treatment - $100 - the perfect gift for those impossible to buy for people, who doesn't love an ultra luxe hand cream?!

Sets are available in limited quantities and you can find everything here at Holt Renfrew.

L'Oréal Infallible Le Rouge Lipcolour - $12.99 - luxurious, comfortable and long-wearing that stays fresh and vibrant looking for up to 10 hours without feeling sticky, tacky or dry.  Enriched with Vitamin E for moisture and Ceramide 5 for conditioning it applies evenly on lips and feels completely natural without flaking or fading out.



In lots of pretty colours (30 to be exact) in shades of red, pink, nude and brown to make it easy to find your perfect colour: Unending Kiss, Perennial Pink, Beyond Blushing, Enduring Pink, Forever Fuchsia, Satin Rose, Eternal Rosé, Intensely Mauve, Tender Berry, Charming Lilac, Charismatic Coral, Perpetual Peach, Always Apricot, Ravishing Red, Refined Ruby, Everlasting Plum, Blazing Sangria, Mesmerizing Merlot, Persistent Plum, Bold Bordeaux, Opulent Organza, Forever Frappe, Lingering Mocha, Rich Topaz, Infinite Spice, Resilient Raisin, Unending Amber, Brazen Bronze, Molten Caramel, Java Jolt - stay tuned for swatches!

Olay Total Effects Line & Dark Circle Minimizing Brush - $29.99 - features a smooth brush applicator that instantly provides tinted coverage and continues working to help fight seven signs of aging for younger, brighter-looking eyes: immediately reduces the appearance of dark circles; reduces the look of wrinkles; combined with massage, instantly reduces the look of puffiness; hydrates for firmer skin appearance; visibly renews skin texture; helps even skin tone; and provides nourishing moisture - this is freaking brilliant, I don't know why someone didn't think about doing this sooner! The brush is a great applicator, but I also found that I had to rub it in with my finger, to distribute it evenly - I normally use an undereye illuminator to hide darkness but I like it so much better with a little moisturizer thrown in!
Kibio Gentle Creamy Cleanser - 125ml - $18 - 99.8% natural and 66.8% organic - suitable for all skin types, it hydrates, nourishes, refreshes and soothes the skin - contains: cotton extract - which are rich in protein content and offer skin-smoothing and soothing properties; organic orange flower floral water - for it's calming, soothing and fragrant properties; jojoba oil - hydrates, nourishes and helps preserve soft skin and is also rich in vitamin E known for its anti-aging properties; and organic sweet orange essential oil - for radiance.
göt2b Powder'ful - $7.99 - styling powder that gives you volume in just 10 seconds.  Part the hair to expose the root, sprinkle the product, massage to the root and start on the next section of hair.  Perfect for amplifying fullness after blow-drying or building body in next-day hair. As a fine haired girl, I can't tell you how hard it is to find a volumizing product that doesn't weigh your hair down and a powder is perfection!  If you've been eying volumizing powders but haven't leaped because of the salon prices, this is your lucky day!
Rihanna Reb'l Fleur - 50ml - $59 - The fragrance is a fruity chypre, composed of sophisticated floral notes: tuberose, violet and hibiscus, with a splash of coconut water, over the light and smooth base, the combination of the final notes evokes the impression of warm skin. It took me a minute to realize that the bottle is designed to look like the heel part of a high heel shoe - there was no tester so I couldn't smell it, so you tell me if it's good!

Nip + Fab is the new skincare line created by Maria Hatzistefanis - the founder of Rodial, and I'm pleased to tell you, Nib + Fab is a lot more affordable then Rodial is!

It's a clinically tested range for the face and body that delivers 11 targeted treatments and are crammed with breakthrough natural and technologically advanced skin smoothing, boosting and firming ingredients.  Here's what's in the lineup:


Clean Fix Facial Cleansing Oil - 120ml - $11.95 - a multi-purpose 2-in-1 cleanser and make-up remover that gently removes daily dirt, grime and all traces of make-up, even stubborn mascara.  Enriched with skin caring essential oils including neroli oil to soften and rejuvenate the skin and calming mandarin for it's purifying, decongesting properties - it cleanses without disrupting the skin's natural balance.
Scrub Fix Facial Polish - 50ml - $13.95 - a triple action facial micro-exfoliant that exfoliates, stimulates and gives your skin a natural glow.  Contains bamboo micro-particles to refine, polish and maintain moisture levels, salicylic acid to resurface and brighten the complexion and plant-based polysaccharides to renew and decongest.
Moisture Fix Facial Daily Moisturiser - 50ml - $19.95 - specially formulated with hyaluronic acid filling spheres which bind up to 1000 times their weight in water to visibly fill and plump the skin, noticeably smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.  Contains grape seed oil for its mild astringent qualities to help tighten, tone and improve the sin's elasticity, meadowfoam seed oil to help fight the signs of aging and protect against everyday environmental stresses as well as jojoba seed oil, evening primrose oil, rose hip oil, glycerin, lanolin and mica.
Lip + Nip Fix Healing Multi-Purpose Balm - 15ml - $9.95 - a rich, soothing, healing balm that is perfect for use on the lips, nipples and any other dry damaged area of your skin.  Contains pure lanolin, renowned for its ability to prevent moisture loss, repair the skin's natural barrier, protect against environmental aggressors, soothe irritation and it has hypoallergenic/bacteriostatic properties.
Eye Fix Brightening Concealer - 2ml - $11.95 - 2-in-1 eye cream and concealer in a twist pen form that is enriched with hydrating, plumping hyaluronic acid, softening glycerin and cucumber extract to reduce the appearance of puffiness.  Also contains light reflecting particles to hide imperfections and dark circles.
Shower Fix Cleansing Shower Oil - 200ml - $15.95 - enriched with gentle oils which cleanse, nourish and protect the skin's natural moisture balance and toning as well as mandarin renowned for its ability to activate circulation and refine fine lines.
Multi-Fix Oil Skin Healing Oil - 100ml - $14.95 - contains bio lipids to target scars and stretch marks, borage oil to nourish and moisturise, safflower oil to replenish and soften and blackcurrant seed oil renowned for its brightening and lightening properties.
Cellulite Fix Body Sculpting Gel - 150ml - $19.95 - contains CellActive - SHAPE - a complex enriched with a powerful combination of Indian forskolin, natural caffeine and the Essential Cell Boost-Factor to activate fat breakdown, promote the removal of waste substances and improve tissue firmness.
Bust Fix Plumping Treatment - 100ml - $17.95 - a high performance bust serum to visibly plump, smooth and firm the skin around the bust and decollete - perfect for skin which has lost its elasticity.  Contains CellActive - FORM - a plant-based complex of active ingredients which support the natural process of lipid deposition, lending fullness to the bust, it will reshape the contours of the cleavage area to optimally accentuate.
Dry Leg Fix Instant Leg Smoother - 100ml - $12.95 - an intensive balm to immediately smooth dry, flaky skin and nourish with a moisturising and restructuring hydra concept called Aquaxyl - which boasts scientifically substantiated benefits to improve the water reserves in the skin, limit water loss and visually improve the surface of the skin.
Tummy Fix Daily Ab Toner - 100ml - $19.95 - to help tone, smooth, tighten and slim the tummy area. Created with a revolutionary formula AmaraShape - a highly effective combination of fat burning actives to refine body contours such as waist, thighs, buttocks and hips.  With active substances of caffeine and synephrine - which both activate the breakdown of lipids in fat cells of the body fat tissue.

Check out your local Shoppers Drug Mart to get your Nip + Fab fix!

L'Oréal Youth Code is a new skincare line specifically developed for the 30+ year old crowd whose skin displays the signs of today's hectic lifestyle: stress, fatigue and aging.  Developed to boost skin recovery, the patented GenActiv Technology works to reactivate the skin's repair genes to help recoup its youthful qualities of smoothness, vitality and radiance.  It also improves the ability to defend itself from aggressions and to retain much needed moisture.  The GenActiv Technology is paired with Adenosine, which has now been identified as essential to cellular functioning and fundamental part of DNA that can slow down the effects of aging.
Available in the line:  Rejuvenating Day & Night Cream, Rejuvenating Day Lotion SPF 30, Rejuvenating Eye Cream and Rejuvenating Serum Intense for $29.99 each.  Also coming in a 3-step system set which will have the lotion, cream and eye cream for $42.99.
Clarins Kiss For Life - with the purchase of each Lip Perfector - $20 - Clarins & Shoppers Drug Mart will give $10 to Motherisk - a program of the Hospital for Sick Children - which treats the mother and protects the unborn.
Clarins Vital Light Day - lightweight version - 50ml - $95 - Same great cream as before but in a lighter version that helps to fade melanin spots and bring a youthful brightness to the skin as well as reduce signs of aging.
Clarins Vital Light Day SPF 15 - lightweight version - 50ml - $95
Clarins Vital Light Night - lightweight version - 50ml - $98 - revitalizes the skin during the night and restores deep luminosity, firms the skin and smooths wrinkle so you can wake up to fresher, youthful-looking skin.

People who spend too much time at Shoppers Drug Mart (me) may have noticed that your Quo brushes just got a lot more colourful!  If you love them, don't wait to pick them up - they are limited edition and will just be around for a couple of months!  The price is the same as the regular silver handled brushes and they come in pink, turquoise and purple!
Also new from Quo are Electric Eye Pencils - Spark - crystal white, Fire - warm yellow, Charge - jewel green, Volt - soft pink, Shock - deep purple and Arc - smokey blue & Luminous Gloss Sticks - Star - burnt peach, Glow - coral, Shine - translucent pink, Blaze - cherry red, Flare - burgundy and Flash - plum red - $12
Quo Smokey Eye Shadow Palette - $25 - 7 powder shadows and 1 cream liner - 2 different sets one in purples and earth tones with a bronze cream liner and the other in shades of blues and greys with a silver cream liner.
Marcelle Essentials Foaming Cleansing Gel - 170ml - $14.50 - oil, alcohol, soap and paraben free it's made from ingredients of 100% natural origins and is meant for all skin types.
Marcelle Multi-Colour Face Powder and Powder Blush - $16.95 - one gives you a glowing complexion the other shimmering cheeks.
Marcelle Revival Regeneration Firming + Brightening Cream Serum - 50ml - $34.95 - for mature skin -  face, neck and decollete provides an instant firming and lifting effect and long lasting action against wrinkles.  Reduces the appearance of brown spots, evens out skin tone and gives radiance.  Improves skin elasticity and suppleness while reinforcing and regenerating it.

Skyn Iceland is the only skincare line designed to treat the effects of  stress on the skin and they feel that the most stubborn complexion problems are caused by accumulated chronic stress.  They can't help you with the stress in your life, but they can address and alleviate the visible effects of stress on skin! 

My newest eye cream love is their Icelandic Relief Eye Cream - 14g - $49.50 - triple-acting eye cream combats three major issues: deep under-eye lines, dark circles and puffiness, due to stress-related oxygen and nutrient depletion.  It contains: Vitamin K - to help increase circulation and lighten dark circles; Rice peptides - to help destroy the enzymes that break down collagen and elastin in the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles; Orange peel - to help reduce puffiness; Iclandic kelp - to revitalize skin and help fight inflammation; Cotton powder - to act as an optical diffusier, filling fine lines and wrinkles and brightening the eye area for a refreshed appearance; Biospheric Complex - a proprietary blend that delivers the unmatched purity and vital nutrients of Iceland's natural resources (water - mineral-rich Icelandic glacial water, earth - indigenous Arctic berries and air - oxgenated liposomes, butterfly bush and thyme extracts) to restore and rebalance stressed-out skin; and Angelica archangelica - an Icelandic botanical and a relative of ginseng which has been proven to be highly effective in preventing infection and protecting against numberous environmental stressors.

I love how cool it feels when I apply it which makes me feel like it is getting to work right away on the puffiness and I also appreciate how it is free of all the stuff I like to avoid: parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, phthalates, formaldehyde and paraffin.  After having used it for a few weeks now I feel like my eye area does look more refreshed!  I don't get really dark circles but I don't even have the slight ones anymore and my eyes don't seem as puffy first thing in the morning, and by mid-morning, the puffiness is totally gone.

You can find Skyn Iceland products at Sephora, Victoria's Secret Direct, Murale, skynICELAND.com and www.theshoppingchannel.com.  And if you tune in to The Shopping Channel tomorrow at 11am, 3pm, 6pm and 11pm they will be featuring the products which is a great way to learn more about them!

I plan on trying more products from this line, if anyone has any recommendations for ones I shouldn't miss, let me know!

Biotherm Skin Ergetic - a new product line that is paraben free and contains ingredients that are 99% of natural origin - the tag line sums it up - "So signs of fatigue don't turn into signs of aging" Sign me up!
Energy Up Complex Signs of Fatigue Repairing Concentrate - 50ml - $58 - contains broccoli, soy apple, lemon and sugar cane - the most interesting part of this product is the fresh cosmetics technology that makes it possible to optimize the effectiveness of the active ingredients via last-minute activation - the broccoli extract in this product is one of the best ingredients for fighting skin fatigue but is unstable when added to a skincare formula.  To solve the problem, Biotherm decided to isolate this ingredient in a capsule so that it could be activated at the last minute, immediately before the first application.  You release the powder into the rest of the concentrate and it will retain optimum stability for three months - so don't forget to use it every day!
Anti-Ox Complex Non-Stop Anti-Fatigue Moisturizer - 50ml - $49 - in a rich creme for dry skin or cream gel for combination skin - contains tomato, apple, bitter orange, grape and pomegranate - the cream gel smells amazing, this one is on my shopping list!
D-Tox Complex Overnight High-Recovery Moisturizer Night - 50ml - $51 - contains buckwheat, tea, ruscus, soy and cranberry
Lise Watier Eye Quartet - $31 - if you are already a fan of her quads you will be pleased to know they now come in 4 new gorgeous colour combos:  Les Violets, Les Bleus, Les Verts and Les Rosés.
Elizabeth Arden Petty Hot - 50ml EDP - $63 - with top notes of red currant, fresh mandarin, blood orange, red apple and freesia; heart notes of Queen of the Night, peony, pimento blossom as well as Petelia and Georgywood molecules; and a base of amber, white patchouli, tonka bean, sandalwood and musky Cosmone molecule.  I gave it a sniff and I like it when I first spray it because of all of the fruity top notes, but once it dries down it turns very floral on me so I'm not such a fan.
Vichy NeoVadiol Gf Eye and Lip Contours - 15ml - $39.50 - with a cooling eye and lip contour applicator for menopausal skin it is said to have a crease-smoothing effect and will make eye and lip contours appear defined.
Ed Hardy Born Wild for Women - 50ml EDP - $62- with top notes of blackberry and black currant buds; heart notes of magnolia and peach blossom; and base notes of lily of the valley, sandalwood and musk.
Ed Hardy Born Wild for Men - 50ml EDT - $62 - with top notes of cara cara orange, spicy cardamom, ambrette seed and papple,; middle notes of jasmine, neroli, ozone and pink perppercorn; and base notes of California Palo Verde and sandalwood.

Ed Hardy reminds me of the Rock of Love episode where Bret takes the skank de jour to the Ed Hardy store and gets her slutted out - since then I haven't been able to take the brand seriously - but I'm sure there are lots of Ed Hardy fans out there that are thrilled by these new fragrances!

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra - 40ml - $31 -  soothing skincare dedicated to allergic skin - contains only 15 ingredients - compared to the 30 found in most moisturizers including Neurosensine, a combination of two amino acids that sooth nerve endings, preventing a reducing sensitive skin reactions.  It is free of preservatives, parabens, fragrance, alcohol and lanolin. The packaging is air-tight so purity is guaranteed and there will be no oxidation.
Nuxe Nuxuriance Eyes & Lips - 15ml - $45 - contains 89% ingredients of natural origin and no paraben effective for all visible signs of aging on the contour of the eyes and lips: the eye contour is lifted, fine lines around the eyes are smoothed out and wrinkles are reduced, puffiness (natural caffeine), dark circles (maca root, corrector optical pigments) and pigmentary spots (bakau plant cells) are less apparent for luminous and more youthful eyes and the lip contour is redefined.  The cream itself is very light and not at all sticky and has the same lovely botanical type scent as the rest of the Nuxuriance line.
Almay Smart Shade Smart Balance Pressed Powder - $15.99 - instantly transforms into the ideal shade and has a skin balancing swirl formula contains microspheres to help keep your oily areas shine-free and dry areas softly hydrated. Interesting concept - I wonder how well it works - has anyone tried it?
Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss - $11.49 - they are supposed to have 5X more shine than patent leather - not that I've ever had the desire to have leather lips but what do I know?!  They come in: Crystal Lilac, Pink Ice, Strawberry, Peony, Hot Pink, Orchid, Rosepearl, Rosegold, Bordeaux, Fire, Papaya, Sunset Peach, Gold Dust, Sienna Sparkle and Bronze Shimmer.

Already love the Guerlain Orchidée Impériale line?  Then you'll want to check out the new Eye & Lip Cream - 15ml - $200 - the benefits of the Orchid are now captured in an eye & lip cream.

The Orchid extract offers both protective and regenerative benefits to restore firmness, suppleness, density and hydration to these particularly delicate areas:
• Targets under-eye puffiness and dark circles with autofocus reflectors that light up the eye area.
• A tightening agent creates an instant rested look around the eyes.
• Crow's-feet are immediately smoothed.

Is $200 a crazy amount to pay for an eye cream?  Hey, if it works I don't think any amount is too much and it's certainly cheaper than plastic surgery!  I'm rather prone to high end skincare so I could see myself picking this one up!

Available now at Guerlain's Boutiques, Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy, Murale, The Bay, Sears and select Shoppers Drug Mart stores.