About Me

My photo
My love and passion for the beauty industry have led me to my dream job! I am the Cosmetic Buyer for London Drugs, Canada. I work for a great company, travelling the world, following trends and buying the great products that you see in our Cosmetics departments. Although I work for a great company and they are very supportive of Social Media Marketing, this is my own blog and therefore are my opinions about products, services and my over all expiriences. From time to time I may even write about my other passion~ my 5 kids, 3 pets and a very patient husband! Hope you enjoy~!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Revlon Media Event

It is just over 24 hours ago that we had our first ever
London Drugs
Beauty Media Event. 

Our
"Expect the Unexpected"
themed event opened with
the always entertaining 
who provided a cooking demonstration
Then our amazing team from
Revlon's International Trainer
and Make Up Artist
Jacquie Hutchinson
along with
Dawn, Meagan, Brigetta, Lisa and Lori

The Revlon team took our Media guests
through all of the new 2012 Revlon and Almay launches.


and fun was had by all!


Thank you to our wonderful Media guests for attending
to see more photo's go to


Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween Psycho Dolly

This Halloween my beautiful daughter wanted to go as
Psycho Dolly,

Here is our version:
My fresh faced girl moisturized and ready to under go her tranformation.


First we had to apply foundation and concealor to her entire face
including her eyebrows

We used creamy white pencil under her eyes to extend her waterline
and carried the white shadow on to her upper lid.  Using black liquid liner
we drew in her lower lid.  We also white out her lower lashes
and lined her upper lash line.

Then we had to draw in her new crease and apply the shadow
carrying it up to her natural brow and shaping the eye.  Now draw in new eyebrows and add artificial lashes to the lower liner.
To finish we added mascara to her natural lashes, applied false lashes
added freckles and dolly lips and we were finished!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

London Look Palette's

Exclusive to London Drugs


A great series of look book that offer 3 different color collections
as well as a 12 pan shadow, lipgloss set and metallic liquid liner set.
Sets are

Lipgloss Set and Metallic Liner set

 
12 Pan Eyeshadow set

Vol 1 Smokey Eye Collection

Friday, October 21, 2011

Go beyond the Cover

One of my favorite things about being in the cosmetic industry is the possibility to change and to create who we are and who we want to be.  Everyone one of us has a story to share and we have a right to be heard and to be accepted for who we are and what makes us unique.

It is the differences that make life interesting~


Although London Drugs does not carry the Proffesional version of Dermablend,
we do carry the consumer version at all our locations~

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Layla Magneffect

New at London Drugs!

Magnetic Nail Polish

This is one of the coolest new items I have seen in a long time!
Paint your nails and while your nails are still wet hold the cap upside down over your nail and it creates the coolest streaks!

After                Before

hold the cap in different positions to create different angles,
diagonal, horizontal or verticle

Layla Magneffect is now arriving at
London Drugs!






Friday, August 12, 2011

FreezeFrame Botox Alternative

FreezeFrame Botox Alternative

None of us want to look older,
we all want that magical solution to turn back the hands of time.
Does it really exist?
Can we get younger looking just by using a beauty product?

As a Buyer I am always skeptical of the magic potion in a bottle...

As a Skincare Buyer I am aware of the smoke and mirror presentations. 
The illusions of trick photography and time lapsed video.


This presentation was different.
Sitting in the presentation I was simply handed the product. 
No preamble, studies or marketing slides.

I was asked to put the product on my deepest line on the inside of my palm.
Once I had done that I watched this video clip.


I was also given the opportunity to watch the entire 16 min video test,
unedited, no lighting or expression.  To watch the changes before my own eyes.

If you have the time I have posted it below...
check out the change in the deep wrinkles in the corner of her eye at
time mark 6:40 and 9:40 to compare to the before image

As I am sure you are too...this is impressive stuff
and as I sat trying to figure out
how they pulled it off...

I looked down and the deepest furrow
on the palm of my hand and it had dissappeared....

Want to learn more?

This product will have an
Exclusive Premiere at London Drugs!

The original shipment is in limited quantities
due to arrive in all our locations Sept 1.

If you want would like us to reserve one for you,
please contact your LD Cosmetic Department
where they will happily take your information
and put one on hold for you.






Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Derm Skincare for First Aid

2 weeks ago I fell and split my knee open.
7 hours in the hospital and it is confirmed that there will be no stitches
as there is not enough skin to stitch together.

The lecture about keeping the wound clean from infection,
how to properly change the dressing etc...meanwhile
I was already thinking about the massive scar that I am sure I will be left with.

I have worked with skin conditions for 20+ years but I am no doctor!
I followed my medical direction to a T, but there came a time when relief was not to be found.  I turned to my Avene Thermal water.
I have used this product to soothe angry and irratated skin.
It's pureness and soothing properties are amazing on
Babies Diaper Rash, Cuts, Scrapes, Sunburns.
No stinging, just cooling refreshing relief.

Once again this product did not dissappoint~

But I needed more...that is where Avene's Cicalfate comes in

The product is to be used on:
  • Cuts, scrapes, scratches, Burns
  • Cracked skin, Stitches
  • Hair removal, Diaper rash
  • Post-treatment
and benefits:
Helps speed the skin recovery process
Provides a healthy skin environment to minimize a potential infection
Prevents signs of scarring
Fragrance-free, preservative-free, colorant-free
Avène Thermal Spring Water to soothe and soften the skin
Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic
What an amazing difference the use of this product has made! 
(in conjunction with the medical direction provided by my Doctor)
The swelling has drastically reduced,
the itching has completely dissappeared. 
The skin is soft and the angry lines that were forming scars have softened.
I realize I have a long way to go before my knee has completely healed,
but the use of the Avene products have made a significant difference!
...and my husband thought all skincreams are the same...pfffttt!!

Silky Summer Skin

Have you ever wondered how
Jennifer Aniston or JLo get that gorgeous
Silky Summer Skin?
The secret...
Use Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse®
How does it work?

EFFECTIVE BY NATURE
Huile Prodigieuse is a dry oil with a unique superactivated formula combining 30% Precious Plant Oils and Vitamin E to nourish, repair and soften face, body and hair in a single gesture.

Tricks and Tips
Mix a drop of Huile Prodigieuse® with your foundation:
 it will glide smoothly on your skin without clinging.

Spray some Huile Prodigieuse® in the palm of your hand
and gently ruffle your hair for a natural effect.

Pour a few drops of Huile Prodigieuse®
 in your bath for a blissful moment.

This is a great natural product that leaves a silky satiny feel to all skin types...
Indulge and enjoy~


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

She is....Fragrance

She has arrived!

She is...a playful fun new fragrance at London Drugs.

She is Fun, She is Pretty, She is Sexy and She is Sweet.
 4 different scents to suit everyone's preference
or
mix and match and create your own scent.

She Is ...comes in a 50ml EDT for $24.99
or a 150ml Body Spray for $4.99


Saturday, April 30, 2011

London Drugs Recycling!

Recycling at London Drugs~

I think we have all come to realize that we don't treat our planet all that well.  Yes, we are busy and yadda, yadda, yadda...bottom line...we each could do better.

So how?  The best way... to incorporate recycling into our daily life so it is not as much of a "chore", but a lifestyle. Let's face it municipalities are starting to have new bylaws restricting curbside garbage so it is better to get on board, rather than be forced into it from a Bylaws officer.

How has our family has worked this into our lifestyle? 
We have our seperate reclycling area's in our household... Out on our deck, beside the 'pop' fridge we have a blue bin, our side yard we have our composting area...well really it is where we store our yard clippings and the lawn mower, but we hope to actually get into composting!  

And finally in our garage...here we have our bigger bins in which we store our recyclables.  A household of 7, which used to produce 3 standard garbage bins of waste every week.  
Now we have it down to 2 bags of garbage or 1/2 a garbage can...
this all happened without actually trying. 
 It was more due to a quick weekend to organize the different 
'high traffic' areas where we could lazily throw our recyclables...
Okay and due to our 3 youngest children who kept nagging us to be better at recycling!!

One area that I didn't realize we even needed...oversized packaging!  Wow as a family of 7 the amount of packaging from 'Stuff'...We started to stack the packaging...everything from bright green Xbox packages to the new vaccuum and not to mention the TV boxes.  Now this isn't every week but there always seems to be something in this location...the next challenge for the oversized stuff?  Not enough time to take it to the recycling area at our local landfill....
but our local London Drugs, 
which face it, is where it all came from originally!  Has a great 'take it back' program!
Check it out~

We have a long way to go to limit our families eco-foot print 
but it does feel good to have started with a few simple steps.

Want to find out what you can do to help?
Check out what the experts have to say 
at

Just in Case -


Let's face it the world is changing, but discretion never goes out of style.  
Now women can take control of their sexual health with this discrete but trendy case.

As a matter of fact I brought a sample of this product home and instantly my 12 year old
daughter grabbed it out of my bag,
opened it said "cool mirror" and put it back in my purse....
never knowing that there was a condom
concealed inside...

Read what www.newswire.ca said about Just in Case.

Check out  their website at www.justincaseinc.com

available exclusively at www.londondrugs.com

Friday, April 29, 2011

Perfect nails in an instant!

Artificial Nail Application

If you are not blessed with perfect nails and do not have the time and money to spend in the salon, we have the perfect solution.  Kiss and Broadway nails offer a temperate solution with minimal effort.

These nails are great for Grads, 
Weddings, Vacations or a special night out~

Check out the DIY video...


So Fresh! So Dry!


Howie Mandel wants to be
The Fresh Balls Spokesperson!
http://www.youtube.com/


Fresh Balls
http://www.sofreshsodry.com/

For women there is


Fresh Breast

Many women suffer from perspiration and chafing
under their breasts and in the cleavage area. Not to mention the embarrasment
of unsightly discoloration on your snuggly fit cami, bikini or shapely summer dress!

Also a great product to use on the soles of your feet or on clammy hands~

Fresh BreastsTM is a natural product,
formulated to keep this area fresh and dry, and prevents the uncomfortable
feelings caused by perspiration.

 It is scent free, Aluminum Free, Paraben Free, and Talc Free,
and contains Oatmeal as an anti-irritant and Tea Tree Oil
as an anti-bacterial, and can be used with other grooming products.

Fresh BreastsTM

is an easy to apply lotion that dries quickly,
so it won’t clump on your skin or leave a powdery residue in your garment.
It can be used as often as needed and is recommended as part of your daily routine.

Now available in Canada at London Drugs, in the deodorant aisle.






 

Friday, April 22, 2011

Do I need to use a Toner~

I find a lot of customers sometimes buy a less expensive cleanser and toner instead of using the same brand as their skin creams.  I think the perception is that you just wash it off and therefore no need to invest in the same cleanser.  As for the toner?  I think a lot of normal to dry skin care users skip it altogether.

 Generally skincare lines won't negatively interact with other brands, but all skincare brands work best when used together.  This in one of the basics of getting the best from your skincare.  Often the Toner portion of the regime in skipped for a variety of reasons, but the main one is that a lot of people do not understand the true benefit of a Toner. 

A Toner is a product that reestablishes the PH balance of the skin.  So why is this important?  In order to properly cleanse the oil (oil is an acid) and other debris from the skin you need to use a cleanser that has an alkaline base.  Alkaline cuts through oil allowing the skin to be cleansed.  Now that the skin is clean the PH is more alkaline than acidic.  To get the best performance out of your skin cream you need to apply it to a PH neutral skin...this is where the importance of a Toner comes in.

So dryer skin types are more alkaline and oilier skins are more acidic. 
 For years toners had a harsh alcohol or witchhazel base which would strip the skin of excess oils which was okay as part of a normal or oily skincare regime, a lot of dry and dehydrated skins types skipped this step.

Now for one of my favorite products~

Shiseido Softening Lotion. 

This 'Softener' (toning step) actually works great on a dryer skin to allow your skin cream to be properly absorb by 'softening' the skin.  Now your skin is ready to get the best performance out of your moisturizer.

Shiseido has different Softeners for the different skin types, including and alcohol free product for oilier skins.

Bottom line if you want the best performance from your skincare 
use the entire regime, and don't skip the 'toning' or 'softening' step~

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Studio Make Up exclusively at London Drugs~




Studio Make Up 
Exclusively at London Drugs!



Studio Make Up is found in international retailers like Galeries Lafayette in Paris!

And now in Canada at London Drugs~

This line has a great color range and technical products that allow you to create a natural career look or an edgy evening look.  The buildable color allows you to play without creating a muddy, over blended look.



My personal favorites...the single shadows! I love the range of color and the great velvety texture!  But that would be boring and there are so many great product in this line.So, I want to discuss the other more unique products. Like....

Their Liquid Line Transformer
Use this with any powdered shadow and turn it into liquid liner.  This is perfect if you don't want to wear harsh black or chocolate brown liner.  My personal favorite is using it with a rich plum shadow, but really any favorite color will work.

Studio Make Up Remover is another incredible product
This gentle but effective make up remover is a liquid formula that foams into a light weight mousse when dispensed on the skin. 

The Super Shine Lipgloss 
Light weight high shine gloss has a doe foot applicator and a fresh light watermelon scent~

Loose Shadow Dust and Mascaras
As I previously mentioned I love the Studio Make Up Single Shadows, but they also have a Loose Eyeshadow Dust.  This is a great application for strong bold color or to use in the crease as an accent color.  Studio Make Up also have Lengthening and Volumizing Mascaras.  I prefer the Volume and Lift Mascara because I love thick lush lashes however the molded brush on the lengthening mascara is excellent if you prefer long defined lashes.

It is hard to explain the funky packaging on the Studio Make Up Lipstick.  You have to actually push the bullet into the case so that it will pop out...I guess it is something you need to see to understand.  The lipliner is a mechanical pencil that can roll up or down without damaging the pencil.  On the other end there is a lipstick brush, to use with the lipliner or lipstick.

This line also has a great selection of blushes, face powders, eyeliners and brow liners and is exclusively at 
London Drugs~





Sunday, February 27, 2011

Nail Art Afternoon with Siena!

My 12 year old daughter, Siena and I pull out all the Nail Art supplies and decide to play.  I have learned a few things today....I have not kept up with my skills to free hand nail art and I am not as quick to learn the new techniques and applications.  However, Siena picked up with ease and actually taught me a thing or two~

Here is what we had to work with:

Sinful and Revlon Nail Polish, 
Kiss Nail Artistry, Broadway Nail Decals, 
Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens

When I was a Nail Artist, my classic free hand was to do an Island scene.  With the Kiss Nail Artistry kits, there are 3 shades with a 'striping brush' a long thin brush that allows you to lay the brush on the nail and drag a straight line or a tapered stripe.

The new Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens are amazing.  They are very simple to use dispensing as little or as much as you need.  Use it as you would a felt pen. As with all nail art make sure that your you base color is thoroughly dry and this is true with the nail art pens.  I also recommend that you test and play with the pens on a separate piece of paper to prime the tip and feel comfortable before applying to the nail.

So...here is the Island
which was fun to do but I will need to 'play' some more to bring it back to the good old days~

While I made dinner I handed Siena a package of Kiss Artificial Nails and let her play...
I love her ability to create different designs and she adapted to all the nail art applications with great ease, just proving that now a days we can all add a little flare to our nails whether it is just a rhinestone on your pinkie nail or a full on design.

Siena's Nail Art

Next time you are at London Drugs check out our new assortment of Nail Polish colors and assortment of Nail Art...Summer is coming fast and dressy toes are so cute in a great pair of sandals!