BC_May2019_Ottawa_ErikMelvin_0710-v2-RTI love beauty (a passion necessary for my beauty director gig) and consider myself a fairly political person, but I never thought my first trip to Parliament Hill would be with a beauty brand. And yet, on a windy spring day this past May, I shadowed 25 consultants for California-based makeup, skin- and body-care brand Beautycounter on a trip to Ottawa as they lobbied for stricter cosmetic regulations. Their goal: to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), which governs the ingredients used in personal-care products, and ask members of parl ..read more

lorealkl 2Today, L’Oréal Paris announced a surprising new collaboration with the House of Karl Lagerfeld. The brand revealed that the late designer initiated the exclusive makeup collection before his death in February; it was one of the last projects he worked on, and has since been completed to honour his legacy. The Karl Lagerfeld x L’Oréal Paris line will be revealed on September 27, during Paris Fashion Week, and will celebrate Lagerfeld’s trademark rocker-chic style and Parisian elegance. “The line of makeup truly reflects the Karl Lagerfeld brand universe and what Karl loved in makeup—h ..read more

PATSY_RED_This week, celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury unveiled a striking new collection, Hot Lips 2, benefitting Women for Women International. The collection features eleven new lipsticks, each formulated to be flattering on all skin tones and inspired by an iconic individual, including British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, author J.K. Rowling and Tilbury’s own mother, Patsy Tilbury. Tilbury has worked with Women for Women International, a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping female survivors of war rebuild their lives, as their global ambassador since 2016. With ..read more

wedding-tableCongratulations! Your presence has been requested at yet another summer wedding that you’re half-dreading and half-eager about because you’re guaranteed at least one slice of cake. I got married last summer, and if it taught me anything, it’s that there’s a dizzying set of rules wedding guests seem blindly unaware of. (Here’s a bonus one before we get into it: Do not tell the bride or groom you’re “disappointed” you don’t get more than a plus one, and especially don’t tell them as much when they’re holding a knife to cut the cake.) So, no more excuses! Here, for your educational p ..read more

wedding-small-talk These five simple sentences will fix all your wedding-chit-chat woes. “TELL ME MORE”: Small talk doesn’t need to stick to the surface. Dive beyond the basics by asking a follow-up question—you might even get a stock tip or some under-the-radar celeb gossip. “ME TOO!”: Order the same drink? Roll your eyes at the same lame song the DJ just threw on? Don’t shy away from chiming in. Having a shared interest is the easiest way to ignite a conversation. “IF YOU’LL EXCUSE ME…”: Thoughtful conversationalists pay attention in order to gracefully remove themselves from a chat b ..read more

barcelona Whether you want to loll on a golden beach or immerse yourself in the cacophony of the city, Spain has you covered. MALLORCA This postcard-perfect island is only a half-hour flight from both cosmopolitan Barcelona and hedonistic Ibiza, but it’s infinitely more chill—if you find the hidden spots. STAY The St. Regis is a breezy 15-minute drive from Palma, the capital city. Pampering starts at check-in. Staff whisk you away to the terrace, where you’ll sit with a glass of Rioja— come back at sunset for no-filter views—while your personal butler takes your Rimowa to your (newly r ..read more

gossip When I realized that I had postpartum anx­iety—that lying on the floor crying was not an intrinsic or necessary part of motherhood—I did what I was supposed to do: I talked to my doctor, I got a prescrip­tion for Zoloft, I sat in a comfy chair for therapy sessions, I set up a mental ­health plan and I researched cringeworthy-­to­me practices like mindful meditation. All of this helped, but I still needed to find a way back to myself. Then, one day, I tied up my runners, put my newborn son in his stroller and cued up a cuttingly hilarious celebrity­ gossip podcast. I hoped my anxious ..read more

pride-mainIt’s Pride Month! Show your love with these six collections that also give back to organizations supporting the LGBTQ community. Nike BETRUE Collection In 1978, political activist and designer Gilbert Baker created the rainbow Pride Flag and over 40 years later, the flag remains a global symbol of unity for the LGBTQ+ community. For this year’s BETRUE collection, Nike partnered with the Gilbert Baker Estate to bring back his original design (which includes pink and turquoise stripes) on footwear, apparel and accessories. Nike will also support more than 20 organizations through gra ..read more

Lululemon selfcareToday, Lululemon announced its foray into the beauty realm with Selfcare, its new skincare line. Over the past twenty years, the Vancouver-born fitness apparel company has established a reputation for not being shy about sweat. Originally created for use during yoga, Lululemon has since expanded its range of popular leggings, tops and other fitness attire, innovating technical athletic wear for all sorts of sweaty pursuits. Now, the brand wants to push you even further with an unlikely quartet: four gender-neutral products dedicated to solving sweaty-skin problems. Each produ ..read more