Beauty Fridays: Greener Pastures

Elie Tahari F/W 2010

Fall is all about earth tones, particularly deep greens and golds (which sort of remind me of Christmas). For Elie Tahari's F/W 2010, Bobbi Brown created a spectacular earthy two-toned eye look of greens and golds. I love how easy and wearable this look is. It definitely captures the spirit of fall.

Thankfully, talkingmakeup.com had already done most of the research for me. On the upper lid, apply "Sandy Gold" cream shadow and then sweep over the crease with "Gold" chrome shadow. Line the upper lash line with a blue/grey metallic shadow. I recommend "Starry Night" because the "Indigo" that was used for the show is no longer available.

Bobbi Brown "Sandy Gold" Long-Wear Cream Shadow

Bobbi Brown "Gold" Chrome Eye Shadow

Bobbi Brown "Starry Night" Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow

Sweep "Sandy Gold" along the lower lash line and then use a green "Forest" shadow as a liner. Bobbi Brown used "Bash" but it's also no longer available, so "Forest" should do the trick.

Bobbi Brown "Forest" Metallic Eye Shadow

Of course, you can always try it out with similar shadows you have at home.

Bobbi Brown eye shadows are available at Holt Renfrew in Canada ($26 CAD) or online at Bobbi Brown ($20 US).

CHANEL Espace Parfums

Les Exclusifs de CHANEL ($240 CAD for 200ml)

We've all heard of CHANEL's Nº 5, Coco, Coco Mademoiselle, Allure, Chance... But have you heard of N°22, Gardénia, Bois Des Iles, Cuis De Russie, Eau De Cologne, 31 Rue Cambon, N°18, Coromandel, Bel Respiro, 28 La Pausa, Sycomore and Beige? If you have, congratulations: you are a true CHANEL scholar! But if you haven't, that's because they are from the Les Exclusifs range and available only in select CHANEL stores, now including the newly redesigned CHANEL beauty counters at Holt Renfrew's Vancouver and Toronto stores.

CHANEL Espace Parfums at Vancouver's Holt Renfrew

Welcome to the world of luxury fragrance. Les Exclusifs have taken up residence in Espace Parfums: a space with an interactive Olfactive Bar where you sit down on plush tweed chairs for a tête-à-tête with a CHANEL Fragrance Expert and begin a journey of discovering your ideal fragrance. There is no spray-and-sniff or those silly coffee beans, CHANEL's fragrances are organized in a laboratory-like system of ceramic blotters -- this is less tiring on the nose.

My nose got a healthy dose of CHANEL, experiencing over twenty fragrances in one sitting. I've always been a Nº 5 gal, but after getting a sniff of Les Exclusifs, my heart is set on Gardénia, a creamy floral scent created in 1925 by Mademoiselle Chanel and her master perfumier Ernest Beaux. Chanel loved having her home filled with white flowers and the Gardenia was her favourite (other than, of course, the Camellia, which has no scent). Les Exclusifs are the spirit of Chanel bottled up. I love hearing the stories behind each fragrance: they are a little peek into Chanel's life, like a seductive storybook time for adults.

Visit CHANEL Espace Parfums at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver and Toronto.

Shoe Wednesdays: Bass "Glenbrook" Oxford

I love Bass shoes. I bought these classic tassel loafers a few months ago and I have to say, for the price, you are getting top notch craftsmanship. Bass has been providing classic quality leather footwear since 1876 (Michael Jackson wore the famous loafer) and they clearly know what they are doing. This high-heel oxford is just as relevant now as it was back in the day.

They remind me of the iconic oxford flats that irresistible Audrey Horne wore in Twin Peaks. Of course, Blair Waldorf wears two-tone oxfords too (here and here). Very preppy indeed.

Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks

$95 CAD at Gravity Pope.
$69 US at Bass.

Item of the Week: H&M Cape

Here is a little cape to get everyone excited for the fall. I love capes: there is something so old-Hollywood about them. I imagine Grace Kelly walking around the streets of Monaco in this cape, accessorised with one of her many Hermès scarves, of course.

If you don't own a cape yet, now is the time.

$79 CAD at H&M.

Beauty Fridays: Burberry Beauty

Burberry Beauty 2010 campaign

I admit it, I'm a Burberry trench coat fanatic: I own two, which, considering my limited budget, is a lot! So when I heard that their entire beauty line was inspired by the iconic trench, I was immediately intrigued. Last week I attended the Burberry Beauty launch at Holt Renfrew (their exclusive Canadian retailer) and the line didn't disappoint. The colours are classic yet fresh -- just like Burberry -- echoing that trademark "English Rose" look the label is known for. At the Burberry counter, you'll find light and neutral shades that enhances one's natural beauty. It's the "no make-up" make-up!

Sheer Eye Shadow ($33 CAD); Effortless Mascara ($36 CAD); Sheer Foundation ($72 CAD); Lip Cover ($36 CAD)

A few of the stand out products are: the Sheer Foundation, which gives the skin a beautiful healthy glow (and doesn't cover-up my beloved freckles); the Sheer Eye Shadow, which has a very creamy powder texture (I loved "Khaki," a gorgeous colour somewhere between khaki and army green); the Effortless Mascara, which leaves lashes voluminous but not overdone; and the Lip Cover, which provides an array of stunning natural shades of nudes, mauves, pinks and reds (my colour pick is "Heather Rose," mauve with just a hint of orange). Did I mention that the lipsticks have a magnetic snap enclosure?

Burberry Beauty counter at Vancouver's Holt Renfrew
(Photography by Ian Sheh)

Visit the stylin' Burberry Beauty counters at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver and Toronto.

Product and campaign images courtesy of burberry.com.

If I Were Rich I Would Buy... a Darcy Miro Silver Cuff

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but sometimes all one really needs is a little bit of oxidized silver to make us sparkle... especially when it's a one-of-a-kind hand-sculpted cuff by metalsmith Darcy Miro! She has recently teamed up with Unholy Matrimony to create a series of warrior inspired pieces, resulting in highly original jewelry with extraordinary shapes and textures (bubbly, coral-like, woven). The amount of detailing is astonishing; I can just stare at these forever. Now, if I only had one on my wrist!

$2860 US at Far Fetch.

PS. Yes, she does diamonds too, just in case I ever got really rich!

Shoe Wednesdays: ETRO Brocade Studded Boots

The last time I wore brocade on my feet, it was my grandma's slippers. Well, these are certainly not granny in any way. Etro is, of course, known for their kaleidoscopic prints but I didn't know that applied to their shoes. Now that I do, it's love! If Marie-Antoinette was alive today, she would wear these.

$531 CAD at LUISAVIAROMA.COM.