SHAPE SHIFTERS

Serums and lotions to help hide our holiday indulgences

We know eating right and exercising is the best way to get our body back in shape after the holidays, but it never hurts to have some help in the beauty department. Here are some products to help smooth and improve our skin.

• Prevage Body Total Transforming Anti-Aging Body Moisturizer

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  Prevage Body Total Transforming Anti-Aging Body Moisturizer ($135, available at The Bay and Shoppers Drug Mart) contains Idebenone, which has been clinically proven as the most powerful antioxidant in skincare and with use, can lead to tighter, smoother skin.

• Rodial’s Crash Diet

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  Rodial’s Crash Diet ($90, available at The Bay and Murale) gel promotes drainage and reduces fluid retention in the body.

• The Body Shop's Round Bath Brush

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  Stimulate circulation with The Body Shop’s Round Bath Brush ($12) which also massages and exfoliates, removing unwanted dead skin cells.

• The Nip+Fab Pamper Kit

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  The Nip+Fab Pamper Kit ($29.99, available at Shoppers Drug Mart) includes three of the brand’s best: Bust Fix, Dry Leg Fix, and Tummy Fix. The CellActive FORM in Bust Fix claims to add fullness to our chest, while Aquaxyl, found in Dry Leg Fix, is a complex that helps to limit water loss, improving the surface of the skin.

• StriVectin-SD

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  StriVectin-SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles ($135, available at Sephora) is an intensive treatment-plus-hydration complex containing 8 percent NIA-114 + Peptide Actives to fight deep-wrinkles and stretch marks.

RESOLVE & REWARD

The Adelaide Club’s Spa may be the best way to keep your resolutions in check

We’re into the new year and with that comes all sorts of resolutions to get fit and stay healthy. After an intense workout, many of us often reward ourselves with a cookie or another luscious treat, and can quickly find our best laid plans not continuing into February, setting us back to our pre-holiday routine. And that’s why we’re glad we found the Adelaide Club’s Spa.

Located inside the Adelaide Club in First Canadian Place in the heart of Toronto’s Financial District, the spa accommodates both members of the gym and non-members. After squeezing a workout into a hectic day, the best reward (surprisingly enough!) is not a hunk of leftover peppermint bark, but a massage. The Spa offers registered massage therapy, from Swedish, sports, and prenatal ($48-$115 from 30 minutes to 90 minutes), and for a deep relaxation experience after some serious time on the treadmill, we like the hot stone massage to loosen up and de-stress ($105-$140 from 60 minutes to 90 minutes). Not only will you mentally feel better, but your body will thank you when swimsuit season rolls around.

GET BALMED

Our favourite lip balms to pucker up with in the new year

Make sure your lips are kissably soft all year long with these new lip treatment favourites.

Eos Holiday Lip Balm Collection comes with three orbs filled with lip balms in Sweet Mint, new Strawberry Sorbet, and limited edition Passion fruit flavours ($9.99, available at major drug retailers).

Maybelline New York Baby Lips, we like the tinted Grape Vine flavour ($4.99, available at drug stores and mass retailers).

Rodial Galm Balm Lip adds a touch of luxe ($30, available at The Bay and Murale to your makeup pouch.

Burt’s Bees Medicated Lip Balm with Eucalyptus Oil is ideal for the driest of lips ($4.49, available at select natural, grocery and drug stores, and mass retailers).

Diane Lai Moist Sweet Orange Lip Balm soothes and leaves a refreshing tingle while sealing in hydration ($4.90, available at dianelai.com, Jacob and Sebastian, Blossom Bath & Body, Springy’s).

SHOP UNTIL THE HOLIDAYS DROP

Last minute holiday gift ideas

There’s nothing like a deadline to make some of us actually get things done. For those of us who leave our holiday shopping until the last minute, here are some fun and fashionable gift giving ideas.

1. Add a little luxe and whimsy with Tokidoki’s 24 Karat Pittura Brush Set ($50, sephora.ca). The four-piece professional-quality set includes the Ciao Ciao Powder Brush, Latte Eyeshadow Brush, Adios Star Smudge Brush and Unicorn Eyeliner/Lip Brush, which are all adorned with decorated metal handles and Tokidoki charms.

2. Jingle G, the latest Harajuku Lovers fragrance is an oriental fruity floral that comes in an adorable bottle fixed with a hook to hang from a tree or stocking. ($19.99, 10ml, available at Sephora.ca).

3. The limited edition Jeff Koons Creme de Corps holiday collection for Kiehl’s  is the gift that gives back. Kiehl’s will donate $200,000 of the profits to The Koons Family Institute on International Law and Policy, an initative of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Choose from Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Moisturizer ($37.50, 250ml; $62, 500ml, kiehls.ca) or Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter ($45, 228g, kiehls.ca).

4. Philosophy’s The Cocktail Party gift set ($23, available exclusively at Sephora) is perfect for New Year’s Eve. Featuring Senorita Margarita shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath (240 ml) and the Melon Daiquiri lip shine (14 ml), the duo will help any lucky friend ease into the new year.

5. Socks no longer have to look like a gift of last resort. Give a fun and vibrant pair like these red, white, and navy stripes ($13, happysocks.com), which sure beat a club pack of white tube socks.

TOKENS OF HOLIDAY TIDINGS

Gifts for the gracious host or hostess

It may not be Gold, Frankincense, or Myrrh, but a gift to a host or hostess doesn’t have to be lackluster. Give them something they’ll use or treasure long after the holiday revelry is over.

1-3. Rodial’s Life & Style range has three perfect gift sets to give. Pick up the Lounge scented candle set ($50), bathing balm and body soufflé in the Socialite scent ($70), or bathing balm and scented candle in Rehab ($60).

4. Keep it personal by gifting a throw pillow from Rock My Soul with their first initial on it ($50).

5. After teetering in heels or walking around in leather loafers all day, any host/hostess would be glad to kick it in Tommy Hilfiger’s Holiday Wool Slippers ($50) once the guests have left.

6. Guarantee a white Christmas with a Winter Wonderland Snowglobe ($24.50, available at Indigo).

7. Help them through the morning after by gifting them yummy Drake Granola ($9, available at The Drake General Store).

8. If your host is an oenophile, bring a bottle of Trumpour’s Mill Pinot Noir 2008 ($16.95, available at LCBO).