Thankfully as a person obsessed with knowing the best products for the job I am constantly trying things to help a girl get her glow on during the holidays – or any time of year. Don’t expect any miracles of course, but here is my latest list of beauty must haves:

1. Nuxe – multi usage Dry Oil: ($35.00) This gem is one of my all time favourite primping products. It’s extremely moisturizing, quick drying and has a bit of a shimmer (but not too much). Combine it with tinted body moisturizer for a healthy looking body glow. You can use it on your face and it’s even light enough to use in your hair.

2. Crest white strips: (starting at $29.99) In addition to a bit of a tan the next best way to give your look some oomph is to whiten your teeth. No need to spend the money to sit in a dentist’s chair, white strips show a difference in a matter of days and are quick and easy to use.

3. Kiehl’s Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish: ($39.99) A long hot shower and a good scrub down with this exfoliating elixir will leave your skin primed to absorb moisturizer. The final result is smoother then smooth.

4. Pantene Advanced Keratin Repair Shampoo, Conditioner and Split End Fuser: (starting at $7.99) Anyone who’s addicted to hair colour, a blowdryer or a flat iron knows the price we pay is hair like hay in winter. I noticed an improvement after just one use of this system.

5. Clarisonic: (starting at $139.00) Cleanses better than anything else I’ve tried. Pores look smaller. Skin looks more even. How I ever survived without this is beyond me.

6. YSL Touche Eclat Foundation: ($62) Creates an even, dewy complexion without looking oily. A little goes a long way. A make up artist once taught me the importance of using a make up sponge for even application. A great tip.

7. Beauty Blender make up sponge: ($26.00) It will make all the difference for creating a professional, polished makeup application. And it’s washable.

8. MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara: ($21.00) Two mascara’s in one. You can either go for a more natural look or the full va va voom. Personally I prefer the smaller brush as it allows for precision work. Plus I think we’ve all gone crazy with long eyelashes painted with a triple coat of tar like black.

9. Premier Nail Beautifying system: ($39.99) These products claim to have “captured the nutrients” of the mineral rich Dead Sea, which is believed to have extensive healing and rejuvenating powers (I’ve been there and I tend to agree). I don’t know what it is about these products but they work better than others I’ve tried in their class. Especially the nail buffer. It’s a great system for maintenance and for when you don’t have time for a manicure.

10. Fisherman’s Friends: ($2.29) With all that close talking you’ll be doing as you work the party circuit you really, really don’t want stale breath. And even if you’re a regular brusher and flosser (everyone, please floss! It plays a role in your breath not to mention your overall health). Even though this is technically a lozenge it is also a very effective breath mint. Stock up.

I’m always looking for new products to try so please send me your recommendations!

Clear & Brilliant is a non-surgical, low level laser skin care treatment, designed to fight the signs of aging. That means sun spots, texture and pore size. The idea is to do multiple treatments along with your regular skin care regime.

We each did 4 sessions, lasting about 30 minutes each. The technician moves a laser wand back and forth across your face. The laser creates microscopic lesions which are surrounded by larger areas of healthy skin. The healthy skin then helps the tiny lesions heal, revealing fresher skin.

Does it hurt? (That was Kristina’s first question before we tried the treatment.) Well, a tiny bit. There is definitely a heat sensation during the treatment. It almost feels like they’re dragging a hot pin across your face. But as long as they give you a cool fan to direct at your face during the treatment, any discomfort is pretty low level and doesn’t last long. At the end of the session the technician applies a vitamin C serum along with a cooling masque.

The day of the treatment we both experienced a bit of redness, but in a good way. A few people commented that we looked tanned! The next morning, Kristina noticed some puffiness around the eyes but it was subtle. Redness was gone after a day and while skin felt a bit like sandpaper for the following 7 days, it didn’t LOOK rough. Go figure. So it didn’t affect our work or social lives.

After each treatment, we didn’t notice a significant difference. However after 4 treatments we do indeed think our skin looks more even and with a healthier glow. The procedure didn’t appear to address sun spots, but the overall appearance of our skin was improved. But you be the judge. Before and after photos are below!

BEFORE        |        AFTER

Diorshow Black Out Mascara

It’s not the cheapest mascara but I maintain that it’s the best.  It does it all–lengthens, thickens and defines like no other.  Basically, it makes my lashes look huge.  This is largely due to the full and thick applicator brush. I always buy it in Blackest Black.

MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter

Even when I’m supposed to arrive somewhere without makeup, I still sneak some of this concealer on to hide the dark circles. (They persist, no matter how much I sleep.) I particularly like this product for humid climates, like the aforementioned deserted island, as it stays put and doesn’t entrench itself in wrinkles. I also use it to lighten other spots, like the area around my nose.

stila Convertible Colour 

In my old(er) age, I’m all about the cream blush.  It gives a dewier and more youthful look than a powder blush, and with a bit of practice, it’s as easy to apply.  I like to use a brush to apply it but you can also use a make-up sponge or your fingers.  Try it in Peony, a warm pinky brown shade that works on many skin tones.  Added bonus: it doubles as a lip colour.

Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder

As many a cameraman has pointed out, my forehead is like a reflector beacon.  And while this may prove handy on a deserted island, who says I’d want to be rescued? This powder is extremely light and cuts the shine without feeling like you’re piling on any additional make-up.

MAC Lusterglass 

I’ve tried a zillion other glosses but I still keep coming back to MAC’s Lusterglass.  It’s inexpensive, not overly sticky and perhaps most importantly, the container doesn’t get all goopy. (Major pet peeve.) I have gone through about 10 tubes of Love Nectar, my favourite shade.   It’s a warm nude with a bit of gold shimmer that works well on its own or over a lipstick or lip pencil. 

Before you read any further, remember that the information below is general advice and one should ALWAYS check with one’s own doctor before taking vitamin supplements or making changes to diet.

But I wanted to know if it was all in my head – do some places make me look better or worse? I asked Dr. Lauren Donaldson (BSc, MD and MA), who specializes in anti-aging medicine at Project Skin. She confirmed that there are a number of environmental and nutritional factors that affect your appearance and health. 

It’s not just my imagination!

It is indeed true that one can wake up in a new destination with more wrinkles, more puffiness, drier skin, lower mood, less pep, bad hair, and tighter clothes. Why? Beauty from the inside out is a dynamic, minute-to-minute milieu of hormone, vitamin, nutrient, anti-oxidant, estrogen and obesogen levels. These changes occur day to day, season to season, and yes, destination to destination.

Gland-tastic

One of the biggest predictors of how we look and feel is how well our thyroid functions. The good news about your thyroid is it speaks to you more than any other gland in the body. It shows lots of symptoms! It drives everything from metabolism and body temperature to firmness of skin, eye bags, whether your hair is shiny with good volume or flat and brittle, and whether we’re carrying an extra 3 lbs of fluid, or experiencing dryness of skin.

The minute we step off an airplane into a new environment and take a breath, the thyroid gland will function differently depending on pollution levels, sunlight levels and what we eat and drink. And if you’ll be staying in that new location for a prolonged period of time (as in a few years), soil quality and whether or not the water supply is fluoridated (fluoride competes with iodine and negatively impacts thyroid function) will also play a role. This dynamic state of flux will determine “pretty places” and “ugly places”.

D is for Delight

New research suggests there MAY be a connection between your thyroid and vitamin D3 (and there’s already a lot of research showing vitamin D prevents certain types of cancers), but regardless, it definitely plays a significant role in how we look. If you’re deficient in vitamin D3, you can look pale, and dark circles under the eyes can look worse. This is exacerbated by being indoors, prolonged air travel, travel to northern latitudes, certain sunscreens, and even sunglasses.

When the situation is reversed and we have high levels of vitamin D3, we look a lot better and healthier. This is most noticeable in our skin tone and colour. High vitamin D3 levels gives a permanent “tan” and healthy, rosy colour, which then helps protect from sunburn and makes us look good and vibrant. Paleness and pallor happen when the body is hoping to absorb more sunlight to make vitamin D3 in the skin.

Chemical Intolerance

And then there are obesogens (also known as endocrine disruptors). They are natural and manmade chemicals that tamper with the body’s regulatory system, affecting the thyroid. They can block insulin production and trick the body into thinking it’s still hungry. They are bad and they can be found everywhere, no just in food (corn syrup), but also in some plastic bottles, pizza boxes, a shower curtain, fabric softener used in hotel sheets, even body lotion.

The connection between obesogens and obesity is still a new concept, but one thing’s for sure, a sudden change in your surroundings and having to sleep on pillows that have been cleaned with harsh cleansers and using products you’re not used to can play a role in your appearance.

Combat Ugly City Syndrome!

If you’re moving to a new city or are constantly on the move from one urban centre to another, over time poor levels of certain minerals in the soil can also affect your thyroid function. (The most important minerals are zinc, selenium and iodine.)

Follow these guidelines if you want to look your best, even in those “ugly” cities!

1. Make sure you have good thyroid function at all times.

The ugly symptoms you experience when traveling may indicate that while your thyroid function gets by in your hometown, it doesn’t do as well when you’re traveling. Good thyroid function is primarily done through your diet and ensuring you have enough iodine in your system (the body doesn’t produce it on its own). Foods that will help are low fat cheese, eggs, saltwater fish, seaweed and soy sauce.

Some foods to eat less often (i.e., only every few days) if you’re concerned about your thyroid are almonds, canola oil, peanuts and spinach. Oysters are a great source of zinc, and Brazil nuts are very high in selenium. For many people part of the answer might include a good multivitamin every day. And of course, exercise. Even a little bit will help.

2. Take an anti-aging dose of vitamin D3.

Unless one spends at least 20 minutes per day with at least 70% of skin exposed to the sun and a very low factor sunscreen at a good latitude between noon and 2 pm, it is highly doubtful that vitamin D levels are anywhere near adequate. How much to take is something to discuss with your doctor, but most health professionals seem to agree that at least 2000iu per day is recommended. Some say that to reap the benefits of ideal hormone balance, cancer prevention, good metabolism and possibly thyroid function, take 5000iu of vitamin D3 daily as a supplement with food.

3. Choose products wisely. 

Avoid fabric softener, forego the dry cleaner if possible, and use zinc-based sunscreens such as Skinceuticals, rather than those loaded with hormone-disruptive chemicals.

4. Apply daily anti-oxidant serums.

Those containing vitamin C, B5 and other anti-oxidants help stave off aging topically. And if possible, pack your own trusted brands of lotions and shampoos when traveling. If you have sensitive skin, it might even be wise to pack your own pillow case!

Top photo credit:
An Italian in New York
Professor Bop/Flickr

My favourite bathing suits for spring are Ikat print. I splurged on two this year: one pale grey, one purple and coral, both by Eberjey. At Holt Renfrew. 

Pour la Victoire shoes are my favourite, and I picked up this style (mine are the coral-red that is so huge for spring) on my last trip down. I love the gold accent on the heel and the teensy bit of toe cleavage!  

This new sheer lip shade called Melochia from Aveda, super moisturizing and minty, is feeling fresh for spring. I am so over the dry matte lip look!  

A big huge purse feels too much like work, so when I head to the desert, I take a small bright clutch, like this one from Vince Camuto, with just enough room for keys and sunnies. At The Bay. 

I get so many compliments on this delicate gold bracelet by Vancouver designer Keltie Leanne that is so effortless to wear and goes with everything. It’s the perfect travel piece.

My husband spotted a sleek cotton piqué tennis dress from the new line L’Etoile Sport in Vanity Fair and tracked it down for me at Christmas. Now that’s love. 

These retro-looking sunglasses cases are the perfect $28 souvenir. Maybe now I won’t keep losing mine? At Trina Turk. 

My business partner, Tara, gave me this book by mid-century photographer Julius Shulman that’s perfect for our Lucite coffee table. I am not sure which I like more: the book or that I have time to read!

Sarah Bancroft is co-founder and editor-in-chief of VitaminDaily.com, which dispenses short, daily, good-for-you “style vitamins” on topics such as Fashion, Health, Beauty, Home, Culture and Dining.

Top photo by Lauren Bercovitch

One of Latisse’s main active ingredients is prostaglandin, also used in glaucoma medicine.  An unexpected side effect turned out to be longer eyelashes.  The beauty industry jumped on this discovery and I, in turn, jumped on the Latisse bandwagon.  

I use the brush applicator to brush the product along my lashes, much as you would apply liquid eyeliner.  I avoid over-saturating the brush, as I don’t want to waste a drop.  

I started using it in early 2009 for a test on Anna’s and Kristina’s Beauty Call.  After four months of constant use, everyone was remarking how much thicker and longer my lashes were.  We even had them measured by an optometrist.  They’d grown about 1.5 millimetres.  I was no giraffe but it is substantial when it comes to eyelashes.

I’m still hooked.  I’m not sure if my lashes are as lush, but maybe I’ve gotten used to it.  I use Latisse about three days a week now, as recommended.  There have been stretches when I lapse, and sure enough, I begin to notice them thinning out.  I quickly get diligent again.  

At the start, I did notice one side-effect: the area where I applied the Latisse discoloured a bit, turning a light purple.  It wasn’t a bad, it just looked like I was wearing a bit of eyeliner.  This line has now disappeared.  My eyes have not changed colour, a risk that has been associated with Latisse, but is mainly a concern for blue-eyed belles. I’ve experienced no other eye irritation.  

A single bottle of this precious potion costs about $160 but it lasts for a couple of months.  But considering how much some friends pay for eyelash extensions, I’m getting away cheap. (Their lashes look longer and thicker and they don’t need to use mascara. I still do.)  Apparently, Allergan, the company that makes Latisse, is in clinical trials for a scalp hair growth product.  Stay tuned, as I plan to be first in line to smear it all over my head!

Dirt can make you look old?  Now you’ve really got my attention.

The Clairsonic is a rechargeable electronic face washing brush that promises to get rid of six times more makeup and twice as much dirt than washing your face manually.  It claims its patented sonic frequency makes the brush move at high speeds, enabling it to really get in there.  

I bought the one speed Mia model for $139.  The two speed model costs $179 and feedback I got is that two speeds are overkill.

McGillivary assures me it’s gentle and won’t damage the skin.  (Don’t go nuts, once or twice a day is plenty.) While Clarisonic has its own line of cleansers, he recommends using it with a pH balanced gel cleanser with low concentrations of glycolic acid.  

Anna and a few other friends are also testing the Clarisonic.  After months of use, they all agree their skin feels a lot cleaner.  Tester Charmaine found that her skin glowed after a few uses.  “It used to be dull and I got breakouts every month but I’ve seen a significant decrease in breakouts.”

While Anna hasn’t noticed prolonged or obvious changes to her skin, she says it gives her a feeling of a nice deep clean and of exfoliated smoothness.

Tester Tanya adds “it feels a lot cleaner than using a wash cloth, like it will be a good base for moisturizer and makeup.”

Frankly, I’m using it more because it costs more than a washcloth.

But clean isn’t the only benefit.  McGillivary says: “published studies have demonstrated improved absorption of Vitamin C serum in the skin after using the Clarisonic PRO.  It is likely that removing debris and oil embedded in pores will help the penetration of any product.”

I’ve been using it diligently, at least once a day, for six weeks.  Is my skin well scrubbed? Undoubtedly. Am I glowing? Maybe a wee bit, but not to the point that anyone has noticed.  The best part? My pillow cases are definitely cleaner.  This may be one New Year’s resolution I manage to keep!

Jet lag occurs from air travel because your body’s natural cycles (aka circadian rhythms) become disrupted as you move into a different time zone. Your natural clock is out of whack!

• Symptoms of jet lag include:

  • Headache

  • Digestive problems

  • Fatigue and sleep issues

  • Disorientation, grogginess, irritability

  • Mild depression and/or anxiety.

Jet lag also affects your appearance. Not only due to sleep issues (looking tired with puffy, red eyes, etc.), but also because your skin takes a beating during the flight.

Beauty Tips

Many of these tips require you to bring products on board in your carry-on bag. Make sure to check with airline restrictions before flying.

• Always moisturize: before your flight use an intense moisturizer. During your flight, use something a bit lighter. After your flight, before bed, use an intense moisturizer one more time.

• Avoid foundation and lipsticks, which will end up drying your skin out on a flight. A good trick is to apply a tinted moisturizer before landing, which will give you a refreshed look.

• Try a mineral water mist during transit. Rosewater is popular. Follow up with a light application of moisturizer.

• If you have oily skin, it may go into overdrive trying to combat the dry air during your flight. Use blotting paper to soak up extra oil, but avoid anything that will cause your skin to dry out even more (e.g. toners, heavy cloths)

• Remember your lip balm. Avoid lipsticks (especially longlasting ones) but moisturize your lips with aloe and vitamin E products. Also avoid medicated lip balms that have mint, camphor, or other strong-smelling medicinal ingredients, all of which can actually dry or irritate your lips in air travel situations.

• Puffy eyes love cold presses. Ask the flight attendant for some ice and use a washcloth or scarf to treat your eyes. Eye drops also help keep eyes moisturized. Eye make-up tends to smudge on flights, so go easy on it, especially if you plan to do a cold press.

• Don’t touch your face. As with all public surfaces, airplanes are filled with bacteria. Wash your hands often and bring anti-bacterial wipes for a quick clean, and also a good hand cream.

• Buy travel sizes in all of your regular skin care and beauty products, or buy small containers to transfer some product into. You want to keep your routine and products the same so as to avoid breakouts. Also, plan ahead, because it can be expensive to buy your products abroad.

Body Tips

You can also help minimize the effects of jet lag with some of the following tricks:

Before your trip 

• A week or two before your trip, try to shift your normal routine by an hour each day to match your destination time zone. For example, if you’re travelling from Los Angeles to New York (which is 3 hours earlier), try to wake up earlier and go to bed earlier, and vice versa if you’re travelling the other way. 

• Remember to adjust your intake of caffeine too. (E.g. avoid late afternoon coffees!)

During your trip

• Try to take a brisk walk before you get to the airport. Stretching (e.g. yoga) is also a great way to prepare your body to be sitting for extended periods. 

• Check any baggage heavier than 10% of your weight. When putting items in the overhead bin, be sure stand directly in front of it so you are not stretching or straining, and do not twist your head or neck.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which cause dehydration.

• Eat before you get on the plane. Eat airplane food as a last resort. Bring your own snacks (e.g. carb-rich items like granola bars, fruits, crackers, etc.) 

• Drink lots of water, juice, or sports drinks during the flight.

• Stretch your legs often to prevent strain and cramps. Get up and walk to the bathroom every hour or so, even if you don’t have to go. Don’t forget your arms — raise them over your head and stretch to keep blood flowing to your extremities.

• Do shoulder rolls, head rotations, and neck bends too.

• If you must sleep, find a comfortable position and be sure to support your head so that you don’t end up with a sore neck.

• Avoid allowing the air vent to blow on you for extended periods of time. It can create tension in your neck and shoulders.

At your destination

• Drink as much water as possible to rejuvenate your dehydrated skin and body.

• Try to keep your bedtime at a normal hour for your current time zone. Avoid going to bed earlier than 10 pm, and do your best not to sleep in. 

• When you wake up, expose yourself to as much morning light as possible, which will help resent your internal clock.

I’m not great with putting on eye makeup, but one thing I’ve perfected is the black liquid eyeliner. I moved from a waxy pencil eyeliner to a liquid one because it’s more likely to stay put. (Anyone with oily eyelids will know what I’m talking about.)

I find this made-in-Japan product the best of the bunch. It comes with a brush that tapers to a very fine point, making it easy to create a thin line. Go over it a few times and the line can become thicker and more inky. Plus, it comes in a tube, which means it stays ‘fresher’ longer. (I find liquid liners that come in a pot tend to dry out and crack over time.)

At $30 a pop, it is a bit of an investment, but I’ve had this one eyeliner for over two years and I use it a few times a week. (Check their website for info on where to buy.)

2) Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Eye Cream

Some people will tell you that you don’t need to buy a specific cream just for the eye area. But since I have very sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and break-outs, I rarely use a night cream on my entire face. An eye cream is pretty much the only thing I do use regularly.

This cream is rich in emollients and I feel like I’m really moisturizing those fine lines around my eyes. And after applying it, I put whatever is left on my finger tips onto my lips, for a perfect before-bed lip balm. The best part about this cream is that it doesn’t cost a fortune. (It’s around $24 at Vancouver’s Beautymark.)

3) Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Color Cheek Tint

If there is one thing I don’t leave the house without makeup-wise, it’s blush. I tend to look a little sallow and sickly without it. I’ve recently migrated to cream blush, after testing Bobby Brown’s product in Sheer Raspberry, a nice youthful plum colour.

I love the texture and the colour, it gives me that healthy, moist, just-been-to-the-gym glow. The only downside is that you don’t get very much in the small tube. (Though this does make it good for traveling.) I bought it earlier this year and I’m almost finished!

4) Hanky Panky underwear

Okay, now I’m really letting you in on my deepest darkest secrets. When it comes to underwear, I hardly ever wear anything else. I have about 20 pairs of these g-string panties, both low rise and regular, in a rainbow of colours.

They’re not cheap, usually about $25 a pair. (Though I have found them on sale here and there, and I often buy them when I’m in the States and even on eBay, as they tend to be more affordable there.) That said, they’re uber comfortable, cute/sexy depending on the colour and they last for years.

I even chuck them in the washing machine and just hang to dry. I’ve yet to throw out a pair. (Available online at Bare Necessities)   

5) J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants

You’ve seen them in the magazines, you’ve seen them on celebrities and now I’ve seen them on practically half of the city’s women. Cargo pants were getting dangerously close to the un-cool list until J Brand single-handedly reinvented them this past spring. Now every denim company and clothier on the planet, from Current Elliot to Le Chateau, are coming up with their own versions.

J Brand Houlihan cargo pants

I think the original is still the best. The Houlihan’s are slightly fitted, slightly stretchy, slightly cropped, wearable with everything from cool sneakers, to rocker heels or tucked into boots. I can’t wait to get my hands on a satiny black pair for the holiday season.

Your Favourite Things?

Have you got products you just can’t live without? We’d love to hear about them and test them out!

Bath:

When my skin is dry and itchy, I settle into a tub with the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Foaming Bath.  The bath foam contains colloidal oatmeal which is supposed to be soothing on the skin.  Don’t expect big bubbles, which is a good thing, as foaming agents can be irritating as well.  A few of their bath and shower products are scented so if you’re really sensitive, go with a fragrance-free product.

Face cream:

I use Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with soy and an SPF of 30. I’m not sure if the soy is doing any good, but it’s one of the few daily facial moisturizers I’ve found that is both light and hydrating, without being greasy.  (The last drugstore brand I tried gave me a rash on my forehead.  Not a good look for the cameras.)  It also doesn’t have the chalkiness or dryness some SPF products can have.

Body lotion:

I hate it when I get beautiful hand creams and body lotions as gifts, only to have to give them away because they’re overly-scented and therefore off-limits.  I have to stick to the basics, like the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion.  Basic, it but does the job.

Sunscreen:

When I travel, I always take Aveeno Sunblock Lotion SPF 30.  It’s oil-free and non-greasy and I’ve never broken out using it, even when I put it on my face.  I also like that it comes in a smaller bottle (109 mls) which can be a better fit for smaller suitcases.

Shave Gel:

The shaving gel was the product that started it all, as other shaving creams and gels were giving me rashes on my legs.  The Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel is completely fragrance-free and also contains the oatmeal, leaving a smooth shave with no irritation.

I have not tried any of the Aveeno hair products yet, but they’re next on my list.  And the money I save going the drugstore route for all these products I can spend on buying perfume, which for some reason has no adverse effects on me.  Go figure!  

Aveeno products are available at your local drugstore, and also online at: