FAKE IT, DON’T BAKE IT

Skip the sun’s harmful rays and get a golden glow from these self-tanners

We’re glad the summer sun is finally making appearances, but, as we know, harmful UV rays can cause wrinkles, age spots and cancer. If you’re still craving a bronze fix or just a slight sun-kissed glow, pick-up one of these easy-to-use products for an even finish sans health risks.

Don’t forget to exfoliate first, we like Rodial Brazilian Tan Scrub ($45, available at Murale.ca and The Bay, Rodial.co.uk).

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Gel, $44, available at Sephora.ca, StTropezTan.com.

If you make a mistake or your hands and feet are soaking up too much of the self-tanner, try the St. Tropez Tan Optimiser Tan Remover ($25, available at Sephora.ca) before the stain sets in.

Victoria’s Secret Beach Sexy Tinted Self-Tan Body Spray $14, VictoriasSecret.com.

Rodial Brazilian Tan Face, $45, available at Murale.ca and The Bay, Rodial.co.uk.

FULL EFFECT

Somewhere between intricate nail art and plain ol’ polish is where our favourite effect achieving polishes lie

Demure pastels graced nails on spring runways, but for summer take your nail cues from the street. Bright, bold and brazen nail art can take too much time at the salon and we don’t always have the patience or the steady hand to do it ourselves, so we’ll be reaching for one of these polishes to achieve show stopping nails that only take an extra step from taking a regular mani to something spectacular.

Sally Hansen Special Effects Magnetic Nail Colour ($9.99, at select drug and mass retailers across Canada in June).

Maybelline Color Show Denim Line in Denim Dash and Styled Out ($3.99, available at drugstores and mass retailers).

Ciaté’s Caviar Manicure ($28, available exclusively at Sephora).

Nicole by OPI Texture Coat in Opal, Quartz, Amethyst, and Aquamarine ($10.99, available at Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Walmart).

FROM THIN TO THICK

Getting our limp locks to be lush and substantial

Thicker, fuller hair, seen on the Spring 2012 Theyskens’ Theory, Versace and Anna Sui catwalks, is something many people want, but may not have been born with. Melissa Mckenzie, owner of the first hair extension bar in North America, Doll Bar Inc. (1099 Queen Street West, Toronto, dollbarinc.com), recommends hair extensions for creating volume, not just length.

Hair as short as a bob can benefit from added volume, but whether you use clip-ins or more permanent attachments, maintenance is key. Mckenzie warns of damage that may come from lack of care, such as sleeping with wet hair containing extensions (which causes the hair to knot), and she notes that slight damage is inevitable due to the additional weight put on the hair by the extensions, particularly when hair is wet.

For those of us not interested in extensions, here are some new products aimed at helping those in need of a little boost:

Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light Shampoo and Conditioner ($5.99 each, at mass retailers) has a lightweight formula to add body.

Garnier XXL Body Thickening Mousse ($5.49, at mass retailers), promises to thicken and lift strands.

Nioxin DiaMax with HTX is a thickening treatment for daily use ($59.99), that aims to increase the thickness of each hair strand by up to 4.5 percent, while it strengthens the cuticle.

POLISH YOUR PEARLY WHITES

Keep teeth white & breath fresh for oral health care month

April is oral health care month and we’ve been brushing and gargling with these products to take care of our teeth, gums and maintain fresh breath throughout the day.

Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide ($184.99) combines cleaning and gum care for one of the most technologically advanced toothbrushes on the market.

Scope Dual-Blast mouthwash ($4.03, 750 mL; $5.69, 1250 mL, available at mass retail, drug and grocery stores across Canada) eliminates 98 percent of bad breath bacteria and is available in Fresh Mint Blast and Ice Mint Blast flavours.

Crest 3D White Whitestrips 2 Hour Express delivers noticeably whiter teeth after one two-hour treatment and lasts up to three months ($59.99, available at mass retail, drug and grocery stores across Canada).

For a natural alternative, turn to Tom’s of Maine products ($6.49 to $7.99), like the Tom’s of Maine Simply white toothpaste or Tom’s of Maine Cleansing Mouthwash. Vegans can reach for Lush’s Dirty Toothy Tabs ($3.95), where in lieu of paste the solid tabs just need to be crunched in your mouth and brushed with a wet toothbrush for three minutes.

EARTH DAY BEAUTY

Celebrate Earth Day with a few of our favourite beauty lines

With Earth Day this Sunday, here are a few beauty products to help you do your part for the environment.

For salon quality products that have a positive environmental impact we adore Live Clean Professional’s Damage Therapy and Live Clean Professional Healthy Balance Lines. Our hero product is the Live Clean Professional Damage Therapy Split End Cream ($8.99, available at mass retailers).

Kiehl’s Limited Edition Label Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque ($26), with a limited edition label created by Studio Number One, gives 100 percent of net proceeds to benefit Evergreen, a not-for-profit organization that connects people and nature to develop a sustainable long-term impact on Canadian cities.

The Lush Karma Komba Solid Shampoo Bar ($10.95) is vegan and one of the most environmentally friendly product Lush offers. Each bar is the equivalent of three 8.4 oz bottles of shampoo, working out to approximately 50-80 washes on average.

Kiss My Face’s Peace Soap (small $9.99, large $14.99, kissmyface.com) is biodegradable and can be used to wash fruits and veg and your own body. The Castile Peace Soap also donates 10 percent of profits to support Seeds of Peace, aim at bringing teens from countries of conflict together, fostering a new generation of leaders.

Other environmentally friendly brands we love: Korres, Aesop and Kevin Murphy.

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

Our best bets to get rid of unwanted fuzz

With the sun shining and warmer days ahead, it’s time to make stubble a stranger with our picks for easy, at-home hair removal. Plus, a new spa dedicated to the hair free wannabe is opening its doors in Toronto this month.

Reach for the Schick Hydro Silk razor ($13.99, available at grocery, drug and mass retailers) if you prefer to shave. Five blades and a water-activated moisturizing serum will leave skin soft and smooth.

The new Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Hair Removal Shower Power Cream ($15.99, available at grocery, drug and mass retailers) works while you’re in the shower. The water-resistant formula of the cream allows it to stay put until you’re ready to rinse away, all in as little as three minutes.

Waxing at home has most of us dashing from the bathroom to the microwave to warm up the wax, but we’d rather stay put in the powder room with Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit ($29.99, for the kit; $13.99 for refill cartridges both available at grocery, drug and mass retailers). The device—plug it into any outlet in your bathroom—heats the wax cartridge to the perfect temperature, while the ergonomically designed roll-on applicator makes applying wax super easy.

For facial fuzz, the two step Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo ($29.99, available at grocery, drug and mass retailers) gently and effectively removes facial hair on the upper lip and jaw line, with a significant reduction in redness that some other products may cause.

If you prefer to leave hair removal in the hands of a pro, Waxon waxbar, is slated to open its first location later this month in Toronto at 1246 Yonge Street (at Walker Avenue in Summerhill). Waxon has every inch of your body covered and welcomes walk-ins, appointments and for regular customers a “Bar Tab” service to pre-purchase of wax services to save time and money. With “the Braziliant,” priced at $43, (compared to Brazilian waxes typically starting at $65) regular upkeep remains reasonable for those with busy schedules.

LOCKS OF LUXURY

FrontRowMag.com visits Jie Privé to get our tired tresses “Jie-ified”

Jie Matar, creative director of Jie Privé, has handled the hair of the well-heeled, while becoming a celebrity amongst the bold faced names whose hair he’s cut. Stepping in the intimate salon, a nondescript space just north of Yorkville in Toronto, we were greeted by the big and inviting personality that is Jie.

We knew we were in the hands of an expert when not only did Jie recognize our limping locks, but he made note of issues with our scalp that often go unnoticed by hair stylists. “Hair needs guidance, a coach,” he told us, after prescribing a Phyto Phytopolléine scalp treatment prior to the wash, cut and subtle highlighting of a few face-framing strands. The mark of a haircut by Jie isn’t a particular style it’s his “power cutting” technique. By pulling the hair into a ponytail, twisting it, and cutting it in one fell swoop, it not only saves time for a busy client, but it creates texture and structure. Knowing a cut isn’t one-style-fits-all, Jie explains he looks at the style of the individual, and tries to add to their look rather than change it. After a blow out, we left holding our freshly cut head of hair higher.

To keep our hair healthy at home, we fell in love with Jie Hero Hair Therapy Serum ($24.95) and Jie Gel ($24.95), which isn’t sticky or flaky. We like to combine the two in wet hair before styling for a soft and manageable ’do. For a boost of gloss and shine at home, Jie recommends mixing an avocado, two eggs and three spoonfuls’ of olive oil and combing it through your hair before washing.

Jie Privé, 186 Davenport Road, Toronto. For more information on Jie Privé and Jie hair care products, visit jieprive.com, (416) 926-0026.

CURL GIRL

Test driving the new Spotlight Eyelash Curler from Revlon

Does the sight of an eyelash curler make you cringe? Are you wary of pinching in the pursuit of upturned lashes? Beauty beginners and longtime fans of eyelash curlers can rejoice because Revlon, a leader in the beauty tools industry, has added LED technology to their latest eyelash curler. We were ecstatic with how easy the new Revlon Spotlight Eyelash Curler was to use and how much it made a difference being able to see so close to our lash line. With the push of a red button, the curler puts a spotlight on your lashes. The LED light is placed strategically in the curve of the curler allowing you to see close-up and helping to curl those babies without pinching. A pop-out handle promotes easy use and its ergonomic design provides a non-slip grip.

With a built in replacement pad, the Spotlight Eyelash Curler is available now at drugstores and mass retailers. For more product information, please visit revlon.ca.

TURN UP THE BRIGHTS

Essie’s latest collection pack a neon punch

There is no avoiding neon this season, from the laser-cut leathers by Christopher Kane to the Swarovski crystals by Tom Binns, and our nails are no exception. Essie’s “Poppy Razzi” collection of four electric hues includes “Lights,” a hot pink, and “Camera” which trends as a red-pink. For a fiery crimson, “Bazooka” is your go-to, but we especially like “Action,” a beaming orange, which reminds us of a Creamsicle. Note that neon pigments can be fussy, and Essie Weingarten, founder and global creative director of Essie, tells FRM to always use a base coat, then follow with an even layer of white polish (“Blanc” by Essie is ideal), two coats of your choice of neon hue, and be sure to finish with a top coat for a shiny mani, because on their own, neons dries matte.

($9.99, each, available in May)

TOP TORONTO BEAUTY…

…With the experts at World MasterCard Fashion Week

Backstage at World MasterCard Fashion Week, where beauty pros were prepping the hair, makeup, and nail looks for Canada’s host of designers, was surprisingly calm this season, giving us time to get the scoop from the experts on their top trends.

Hair
The hair of the season was “simplicity with a twist” said Jorge Joao, Redken artist and backstage lead hairstylist. From ponytails (Joe Fresh) to faux bobs (Lundström Collection), a high crown was a must. To get the best backcomb, without damaging your hair, Joao recommends using Redken Fabricate 03 to add texture and Redken Fashion Work 12, a versatile spray to work with and finish and to give your comb something to grip on to. Braids were also big, from milkmaid styles (Chloe comme Parris) to fancy French (Adrian Wu). For those who are dexterous enough to braid their own hair, Joao suggests keeping sections clean for a brilliant braid.

Makeup
Maybelline New York, who oversaw the makeup, is perhaps best known for their mascaras, so it was no coincidence to see the importance of lashes in so many looks during the week. Grace Lee, Maybelline New York Lead Makeup Artist, Canada, created dramatic (Matis by Lucian Matis) and subtle (Joe Fresh) smokey eyes, keeping them open with Maybelline New York’s Volum’ Express the Falsies in Black Drama for both shows, while adding Great Lash Lots of Lashes and the soon-to-be-launched Mega Plush by Volum’ Express at Joe Fresh.

Nails
Hot off of overseeing nails at major fashion weeks around the globe, Essie Weingarten, founder of Essie, told us that even with the onslaught of new nail colours, designers were choosing her signature standby shades. Toronto was no different with textured dark nails in “Wicked” with a lace imprint on top at Chloe comme Parris and a mix of “Chinchilly” as a base with customized nail art in “Licorice” and “Midnight Cami” at Matis by Lucian Matis, with both looks created by the team at TIPS Nail Bar for Essie. Despite dramatic nail art, Weingarten predicts that normality will be making a comeback as seen with the sheer neutral shade of “Allure” at Soia & Kyo.