MBT

Masai Barefoot Technology or MBT are shoes not in the ordinary sense. A new revolutionary fitness aid from Swiss Masai. This product will not only change the way you use your muscles, but will improve the use of your joints and spine. The uniquely designed sole, combined with correct training, achieves a more active and healthy posture and walk.

Benefits include:

• Strengthens and tones muscles in the feet, legs, buttocks, abdomen and back
  
• Increases muscle activity and circulation which may help reduce cellulite and varicose veins
  
• Relieves muscular tension, back and joint problems
  
• Leads to relaxed upright posture
  

Well how does it work you ask?

Through it's unique design of it's multi layered sole, MBT transforms flat, hard artificial surfaces into natural uneven surfaces, simulating the walking action of our barefoot ancestors, like the Masai tribe in South Africa. Unlike most conventional training shoes that support and cushion your feet, the unique construction of the MBT challenges the sole, and the muscles used to form your posture, to be more active. This reactive, more supportive muscle action increases shock absorption for joints and discs. Walking more upright not only looks better but automatically makes us healthier and stronger. The back and joints are strengthened, circulation is increased, and breathing is more efficient. MBT lengthens and strengthens the whole body while standing, walking or running.

Availability

MBT's have appeared in Lucky magazine, Bliss website, and Dr. Phil. MBTs are available on their website as well MBT site.

Ebay also has a few shoe retailers selling them at just below retail. These shoes are pricey at $245 a pair.

Attractive?

You might think that these look look a bit like moon boots or some kind of "special" shoes, but really who cares, it's benefiting your health which is most important.

Youth by Bliss

New York based salon Bliss, has a new innovative line called the "The Youth As We Know It" collection. 

The Bliss exclusive anti-aging collection includes a creamy cleanser, a gel toner, a skin plumping serum with radiance boosters, moisture cream to hydrate and a powerhouse eye cream with 10 eye-beautifying ingredients.  

The whole Youth set is retailing at $262, which is not bad considering everything you are getting and it also includes a handy tote.  I personally have not yet tried this product, but have used Bliss in the past and it has done wonders for my skin.  

Don't think that just 20-30 somethings can benefit from this product, mature skin can also see favourable results from this collection.

Brows

So full brows are making quite the come back-Keira Knightly, America Ferrera and Beyonce are all rocking a full brow.  I've found a few products to  keep your brows in place.  

MAC's Brow Set in "Show Off" and Benefit's "Brow Zings".  

Some tips to get the look:

• Leave them alone.  Let brows grow in for at least two weeks.
  
• Get rid of strays.  Pluck only the hairs that fall well outside your natural shape.
  
• Trim.  Brush hairs straight up and use cuticle scissors to even them out.
  
• Enhance.  Choose a gel, powder or pencil one shade lighter than the darkest part of your hair.
  
• Or, you can always get your eyebrows waxed and shaped by a professional.

Stila's Talking Smokey Eye

Have trouble creating that smokey eye for that night on the town?  Try Stila's new talking palette. All you have to do is press a button and the palette walks you through 5 easy steps to the perfect smokey eye!  Down side to this new innovation?  It doesn't include brushes, and the palette refers to which brush you should use.   

Check out the website:  

Brushes

Palette

There are 3 different palettes-The Bronzers, The Originals and The Emeralds.  Click here if you are looking for step by step tips to getting the smokey eye just right.

MAC loves Fafi

If you loved 'Barbie Loves MAC' last year, you will adore MAC's new collection 'Fafi for MAC'. Fafi is a street artist from France. The spring line is bursting with fun new colours and awesome packaging exclusively designed by Fafi.

The collection includes 6 lipsticks, 4 lipglasses, 2 eyeshadow quads, 6 paint pots, 1 fluidline, 2 eye kohl liners in Smolder & Fascinating and 2 blush....one in Fashion Frenzy and the second is a new limited edition shade. And.......there is also 2 irridescent powders, 2 nail lacquer and 3 Fafinette character makeup bags. The collection is scheduled to be released on or around Februray 13, 2008!

Paradise in a Bottle

There's nothing better than the smell of "summer". Whether it be that gorgeous smell of coconut or the sweet smell of freesia or honeysuckle. Whatever your "summer" fix is for the winter blahs, perhaps dabble in True Blue Spa's "Glow & Steady" a daily moisturizer, SPF 15 and gradual self tanner. Smells AMAZING! I usually start with L'Oreal's Sublime spray on self tanner, and maintain with Glow and Steady. The colour is a deep bronze, never orange.

Other self tanners have that awful DHA smell, but this product reminds me of the beach. The scent lasts on your skin all day, and also has a lot of moisturizer in it to keep your skin hydrated. I noticed with a lot of self tanners, especially in the winter, really contributes to dry skin.

Glow and Steady Daily Moisturizer and Gradual Self Tanner SPF for Body has been endorsed and recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.  This is a great product for using all year long and safe.  It can be purchased online or in store from Bath & Body Works.  

Tips to Applying a Gorgeous Self Tan:

1.  Skin Preparation - If you have dry skin--and most of us do when it comes to arms and legs--start prepping a few days before applying the tanning product. Moisturize two to three times a day, especially right after bathing. Use a gentle exfoliant all over three days beforehand as well as the day of applying self-tanner (beforehand). Also, apply a thick salve-like cream to especially dry parts like elbows, knees and hands and let it soak in to soften skin. Self-tanner will "grab" on especially dry areas and look unnatural, so get those areas softened before proceeding.
2. Before Applying - Test the self-tanner on an inconspicuous part of your body (like the inner elbow) before slathering it on all over. I know you never test, even though you are always warned you that you must, but trust me on this one. Self-tanner doesn't wash off easily at all. Testing will save you from having an hilarious story that you won't find funny.
3. Start with clean dry skin - Give yourself a few minutes if you've just bathed to ensure that your skin is completely dry. Do not apply any lotion/moisturizer, you might get uneven patches that will be hard to correct. Also, with dry, unmoisturized skin, it will be easier for you to tell if you've missed a spot.
4. Work Quickly - Whether it's spray, cream or gel, the key is to work quickly and evenly. Cover a single area all at once. If you're doing a leg, don't do the lower leg, then the knee and then the thigh; do the entire leg at once. Use enough self-tanner so that you can get the whole leg at once, working quickly. (It's good to practice with lotion a few days before, just so that you're used to quick, all over coverage.) And work evenly. I've found that downward, fanning strokes worked best for even coverage.
5. Go lightly on knees, ankles, elbows and chest
   These are the areas that typically have dry skin patches, so just barely brush over them. You can always apply more if you want.
6. Wash hands often. If you're doing your whole body so that you won't have tan lines, wash the palms of your hands at least once during the application. This stuff works fast. Your palms will have the most exposure, which is another reason to work quickly. And absolutely wash your hands when you're finished. You want colour on the top of your hands, but you don't want your cuticles and palms to look like you've been playing in wood stain. Rub your hands with soap, and rinse both top and bottom of hands, and use a fingernail brush lightly on their cuticles (if you have a fingernail brush that is).
7. Don't touch anything! The instructions on some of these products state that you can dress immediately or within 30 minutes of application, but most suggest waiting one to two hours. I usually wait around 10 minutes depending on the product. If you feel "dry" then you probably are. Otherwise paint your nails, fix your hair, and let at least an hour go by before putting something on. And don't sit on any white sheets or furniture (just sit on a dark-colored towel).
8. Don't Shower! Ever again. Just kidding. But wait at least three hours before swimming or showering.

Maintenance Your tan will last a long time if you continue to use the product. It will start to fade once you discontinue use (obviously). You don't have to wait for your entire tan to be gone before reapplying. When you first begin to notice that your color is fading, go ahead and reapply. Reapplying will also give you a better idea of how dark you can go.

True Blue Spa products are available in the states at Bath & Body Works. 

Back at it! An all new 2008!

Happy New Year!

It's been a LONG LONG while, since my last post. My resolution this year to make more time for this blog because I love my products and makeup. They might think I don't love them anymore if I don't share them with you. :)

Over the next couple of days you will see a few posts as I've tried many products over the past 6 months that I would love to share.

See you soon!

Absolutely Heavenly

I know, it's been a while since my last post, but I have a few things in the works to be posted soon.

First and foremost, how lovely is the Victoria's Secret "Heavenly" line? I was rummaging in my cream drawers and stumbled across last summer's fragrant creams that I put away. What a delight to find the Heavenly Angel Touch Lotion! The scent is amazing. I completely forgot about it! Which reminds me-go through the products drawer. Can't wait for my next long lost discovery! (ha!)

As described on the website, "this cream nourishes and conditions skin. Is lightly scented."

Lightly scented? After I had a shower I could still smell it! You do not need both the perfume and the lotion if you are a layering type of gal.



Fragrance type: vanilla oriental
Ingredients: wild ivy, mandarin, waterlily, white peony, freesia, iris,
violet, poppy and orchid vanilla.

Honestly you only need a little bit. You could wear it day or night, but I prefer to wear it in the evening.

You can order online at www.victoriassecret.com.

Trend: The Nude Lip

Anyone else notice the nude lip trend? I am all over it. I think it looks AMAZING with a great tan. Dark smoky eye with a nude lip. GORGEOUS! Jennifer Lopez works this look flawlessly.



My absolute favourite right now is Smashbox's Lip gloss in "Pixel". The formula is so moisturizing, I don't even need a coat of lip conditioner before I apply. It a very subtle light pink, almost iridescent. I use it for everyday.

Another wonderful colour is Nars Lipstick in "Sexual Healing". This one is an iridescent golden pink. If you haven't tried any Nars products, please do so. The lipstick, lip gloss, and eye shadows are fabulous. I love MAC, god knows I love MAC, but Nars takes it to the next level. Highly concentrated, wearable, beautiful makeup. However, in comparison to MAC, you will be paying well over $30 for a lipstick at Nars. You know in magazines where they do the "splurge" or "realistic" comparison? Well here you go. Eh, you live once right?



Another new colour Nars released from the Summer 2007 Collection-"Striptease". It's shiny, non sticky, and highly moisturizing. The lip glosses, come in over 35 shades. Nars is available at Sephora Toronto, and Holt's.



The nude lip look is freeing, refreshing and unpretentious. Try a pink-ginger tone if you're pale-skinned, or an bronze-gold tone if you are dark-skinned.

For the dark skinned ladies try MAC's Plushglass in "Wet, Wild, Wonderful". It's sheer lip colour with a pearlized high-shine gloss finish. It visibly plumps the lips to make them look luxuriously healthy and well-conditioned. Contains vitamin E for added environmental protection. Secret ingredient to plump lips? Cayenne Pepper. Just telling you what I heard from a MAC artist! Don't worry, it doesn't hurt, but it really plumps!! (Right Dani?)

It's summer ladies! Time to work it!

Just Plane Pretty

Travelling this summer? European vacation perhaps? Well, I am, and I am trying to decide what the heck to bring in my carry on for that 6-9 hours of travel. Being in the air can leave you dehydrated, tired and puffy. Not good.

Try to prepare. Try to eat lightly and exercise before travel. I try to avoid salty foods which can cause you to retain water and swell up. The night before get your skin ready for the stress of recycled air. Try a hydrating mask, tone, and ensure you wear a rich moisturizing cream for overnight. The next morning, cleanse and apply moisturizer to damp skin. Keep your makeup very light. Wear just the bare minimum. You are going to want to keep reapplying moisturizer throughout the flight, so skip the foundation. Instead, try a light cream blush, concealer, and a tinted lip gloss to trap moisture.

Drink up. No, I don't mean a cocktail. Your body dehydrates 3 times faster when you are in the air. Ensure you drink a lot of water, water, water. Buy a 1.5 to 2 litre bottle of water and drink it continuously over the course of the flight. Pack some tea bags for when the cart comes around. Your skin will thank you when you deplane.

What to bring:

My sister and I love the travel sized Evian Mineral Water Spray. Spray directly on your face and it instantly revives your skin, and counteracts travel fatigue.


Philosophy, (available at Sephora) has a wonderful set called "Miracle Worker" which has everything you need in travel sized bottles. It includes a facial cleanser, daily moisturizer, perfumed shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, and a foot and hand cream. Hands are also very important to keep hydrated. As long as everything fits in a sandwich sized ziploc bag, you are good to go.


Don't forget your body butter! I tend to skip the perfume and opt for a scented body butter. My favorite? Sephora's Body Butters-Whipped Body Delights. The Coconut Nectar scent is summer in a jar! So yummy!


Hair. Don't forget your baby travel brush, some hair spray, and hair elastics. When I'm basking in the sun in the French Riviera, you better believe my hair will be in a bun at the top on of head in a big ol' floppy hat. While in the ocean, protect your hair from the sun with Aveda's Brilliant Damage Control. Helps to protect against UV damage.

Sun Block. What's this? Well, considering when I go to the "sunblock area" in the drugstore, I go straight to the Hawaiian Tropic Dark Tanning Oil, I thought I better do some research on sun protection. I hear the sun is very different in Europe. I think I may need a 30 SPF.

Other items that would be worth bringing in your bag: a small travel pillow. Do you really want to use the ones on the plane? No. Dirty. Face mask for your eyes for when you go for a snooze in total darkness. Toothbrush and toothpaste to brush before you land, and most importantly your iPod and a good book. If you bring a small part of the comforts of home, I find you will ultimately enjoy your experience a whole lot better.