Well hello again ELLE Canada readers! I’m back for another week of blogging from the intern desk, and this week we’re all about summer beauty. We’re talking about glowing tans, glossy hair and perfect pedicures as we prep for the hot and sunny weather we’ve been desperately waiting for since the last snowflake fell. Read on to find out what beauty projects I’ve been working on in my last few days in the office!

Pops of colour for your summer beauty palette. Photography by Geoffrey Ross.

Being an intern at ELLE Canada means reaching out to some of the most influential beauty brands in the biz, editing images, writing captions and building the galleries we know you love perusing on ELLECanada.com everyday. From our massive summer prep packages to more simple beauty projects for the season, the lineup for summer beauty is something you won’t want to miss. As ELLE girls, we’re in love with bold lip colours, bright nails and golden bronzers that help us look our best on the beach, and we just couldn’t resist sharing them with you. Plus, we’ve taken your picks for best products in our beauty grand prix that organizes your favourite creams, sprays and more by category and price. Stay tuned this week for our summer prep package and start collecting the must-have products of the season on ELLECanada.com’s beauty channel.

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The best sunscreens under $20

Summer beauty: Lighten your foundation load

10 fruity scents to excite your senses

By Jaclyn Tersigni

Move over, Justin Bieber. There’s a hot new Canadian item inspiring women coast-to-coast to broadcast their love on YouTube.

Enter the Luxe Box.

 Luxe Box by Loose Button is a subscription service that introduces women to beauty products they might not have used before, by brands like Consonant, Benefit, and Shu Uemura. Read the rest of this entry

A journey into the world of a Maitre-Parfumeur

Eze (in Nice, France)

My travels throughout the South of France have been nothing if not spectacular. The hotels, the pampering, the cuisine and now, as if to complete my oh-so-française experience, the fragrance. I visited the medieval village of Eze (a captivating enclave in Nice that sits on a rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean sea) and discovered the prestigious House of Galimard; a luxury parfumeur that, for 260 years, has celebrated the allure of creating your own fragrance.

With a glass of champagne and a couple of canapes as my starting point, I sit down at my own “organ” (creation station) and embark on a three hour journey into the world of signature scents. Once complete, I will be the owner of a 100ml bottle of Eau de Lara. Here’s how my dream became a reality… Read the rest of this entry

I realize how bold I am by stating that I may have discovered the world’s best facial, but as I type this post I’m looking at skin that just came off of a 24-hour travel day looking its 33 years (16 days away from 34, but who’s counting) utterly transformed into a complexion that’s barely scraping past 29.9.

I’m currently visiting the Hotel Martinez on the famous boulevard de La Croisette in Cannes and I gratified my tired, airplane skin with the hotel’s signature facial: Absolute Oxygen Sensation Skin Therapy. At first, I regretted my decision: It’s a gloriously vibrant 80 degrees here (sorry) and the hotel’s private Zplage beachside lounge (with chilled rose at the ready) was calling my name; but an appointment made is an appointment kept, so I stuck with it. My face – and soul – was not disappointed.

The therapy begins with a deliciously cloying mask and exfoliation using Parisienne beauty brand Lancaster, followed by what seems like an eternity of gentle steam cascading over your pores (to oxygenate and rid you of all of your indulged toxins). Then, responding to what your skin needs (mine: hydration) a targeted face massage tones and replenishes your complexion to give you a flushed, radiant glow. Wrinkles seemingly diminish and the texture of my skin was smooth and deeply recharged. Take that, 33.9.

Kate Moss will toast 10 years as the face of Rimmel London by releasing a new lipstick collection with shades to match every outfit.

(BANG)

Kate Moss will celebrate 10 years as the face of Rimmel London by releasing a new lipstick collection for the brand. The supermodel’s new range contains seven shades hand-picked by Kate ranging from bright reds, to soft pinks and nudes and she promises there is a shade to match every outfit.

Kate said: “My inspiration for this range was really to create a range of easy to wear, classic shades that I have always worn and loved. From bright reds, to soft pinks and nudes, there is a shade for everyone and any occasion. It was also really important for me that they were comfortable to wear. Whatever your outfit there is sure to be a shade to match!” Read the rest of this entry

It’s finally sweltering in many parts of Canada (bring on the short-shorts, light-as-air tanks and beachwear!). That means that it’s time to slather on more of our trusted sunshine friend — SPF. But if you’re like me (so eager to get outside that you just swipe some sunscreen on your arms and legs) you’ve probably ended up with some burned areas here and there. Here are the top spots most people miss:

Image courtesy of Leda & St. Jacques

1. Feet
You don’t pedicure your toes and scrub your feet to have them look wrinkled and leathery 10 years from now. Feet are often the last spot people think to put on SPF, but they tend to get the most sun when walking. So cover the tops of your feet when wearing sandals for young looking toes in the future!

2. Tops of your ears
Ever burn these? It hurts, trust me. The skin is so delicate it can burn very quickly. You might not think about this if you normally wear your long hair down since it provides some protection by covering the tips of your ears. But if you sport a pony, bun or topknot, be sure to protect your lobes.

More spots you need to protect after the jump!

Read the rest of this entry

Katy Perry chats perfume, skin care secrets and gives advice to her adoring fans

Don't mind my intrusive arm!

Clad in a lilac knit cardi/dress combo from Christian Dior and wearing violet Miu Miu peep-toe suede pumps, newly red-haired Katy Perry (who also wore whimsical kitten ears; a recent purchase at Collette in Paris) stopped by Toronto’s Eaton Centre to promote her latest fragrance, Purr.

Out of 50+ media invited, ELLECanada.com was given five minutes to chat with the star about all-things beauty.  As has become our norm, we reached out to our loyal Facebook and Twitter fans to ask you what you wanted to know about Mrs. Brand. Here, the top questions: Read the rest of this entry

Is there anything more luxurious than a facial? In my world … no. And, I think I’ve found the best facial in the Toronto area (or the whole country for that matter).

The first step is to visit Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario and book yourself a Bliss treatment from the spa. It’s more than just a facial, it’s a 2-hour whole body experience, from your feet to your hair (yes, this facial includes a hair treatment). Here’s how it goes down.

Step 1: You get a skin analysis via a high-tech machine that measures the moisture level of your skin and depth of wrinkles. Scary process, but worth doing so you know what you need to focus on. For me, my forehead was lacking in moisture more than anywhere else.

Step 2: Once you’re tucked under the warm covers, the facialist will give your toes and feet a massage, touching on pressure points to help ease away stress.

Step 3: Using the high-end Swiss line, Valmont (which contains salmon DNA that helps with cellular repair and those pesky fine lines), you get a cleanse, tone and mask. Read the rest of this entry

Film directed by Joe Wright

Blog sponsored by CoverGirl

Our friends at CoverGirl asked us to connect with all of our lovely ELLECanada.com blog followers to ask you this: Tell us what product from CoverGirl is a must in your beauty bag! We’ve put a few of our personal favourites below, but let us know which product from the entire CoverGirl line you can’t possibly live without. If your comment is selected, it will be posted in a promotion in the June issue of ELLE Canada (Fun!) Read the rest of this entry